New World New Beginning
by NiKiTa5
Summary: William 'Spike' Giles has had and done his fair share of trouble. He and his father Rupert Giles is forced to leave for the 'New World' Where they'll hopefully meet new friends and Spike will change his ways. WIP CH10 up
1. Welcome To Sunnydale

Chapter 1: Welcome to Sunnydale  
  
A/N: Okay guys this is my first fiction ever so bare with me. However, I would like some feedback letting me know if it's worth my energy or not. This is AU so if it's not your cup of tea please turn around. As you probably will notice, grammar isn't my strong side. Thanks to Alana who Beta read this chapter "Abc" Indicates speech  
  
'Abc' Indicates interior monologue  
  
Now, on with the story. Hope you like!  
  
Brown hair and blue eyes peeked carefully over the back of the big, brown- leathered recliner, then quickly, at the sound of the quick steps down the stairs out in the hallway, ducked down in hope of hiding. Her pulse started to go faster, harder, and a slight panic started to spread throughout the wide-eyed young girl as the steps hurriedly approached. 'This can't be it.I'm too young to die!' and other thoughts raced through her mind.  
  
"Dawn Summers! I'm gonna torture you, kill you, then leave you for the coyotes to snack on!"  
  
Her name was screamed in wild fury, and the threat had been pronounced in a deadly, cool voice, dripping of promise that blood would be shed.  
  
The brunette quickly considered her options of a way out of the situation and drew breath to collect herself. Then, she turned to face the blonde fury that had descended upon her. 'Oh God.first innocent act... '  
  
"Buffy, what's wrong?" 'There.that wasn't so hard, it was convincing...yeah.' "Oh, don't! Don't you play innocent with me!" The petite, blonde girl spat at her, blue-green eyes confirming fury.  
  
Dawn drew her tiny, neatly plucked eyebrows together, raising them a bit, trying to look confused.  
  
Buffy stared at her sister with her slits narrow, and brows together in a completely different manner, then raised the reason of her current state for her sister to see. The white, soft, lamb's wool, button sweater had a long, offending, brown streak on the front.  
  
"That's your sweater," Dawn offered, matter-of-factly.  
  
"I know damn well it's my sweater, Dawn. It's you I doubt, knowing that to be a fact. Question, is what the hell is this chocolate sauce doing on it?"  
  
'Oops. Caught.. time for act number two; groveling.'  
  
"Buffy, I'm so sorry. It's chocolate. It will go away."  
  
''No, it won't! Especially since you worked so hard at hiding it at the bottom of the hamper. This stain must be a week old. It won't leave completely, and you know that. You know that, because that's exactly what happened when you borrowed my eggshell skirt!" Buffy's voice revealed that none of the anger had subsided. 'Why is my sister always doing everything to ruin my clothes?'  
  
"I'll pay for ."  
  
"You're damn well right you'll pay for it!" Buffy interrupted her sister before she could finish.  
  
  
  
"What on earth is going on here?" A masculine and very authoritive voice startled both girls.  
  
"Dad, you're back!" Dawn, the youngest of the sisters, glowed, and threw her arms around her father. Hank Summers soon released her, and went over to his eldest, and gave her a bear hug as well.  
  
"Now, which one of you girls is going to explain what happened here?" Hank should have known his girls better than to expect them to explain one at a time. Soon, the fight was on again, and Hank had to stop it before it progressed to a catfight with nails scratching and hair being pulled.  
  
"Stop it right this instant!" Both girls turned to him, scowling. "Buffy, here is some money you can take to the mall to replace your sweater."  
  
Buffy's eyes widened, and a wicked smile curved her lips at the potential shopping spree. She had to go call Willow, Tara, Cordelia and Anya to let them clear their schedule for some mall time.  
  
"As for your punishment," Hank said, turning to Dawn, who looked really jealous at her sister. "I'll be cutting your allowance in half until the full fifty dollars has been downpaid." The girl looked horrified.  
  
"DAD!" She exclaimed. "You are aware that the only reason I had to borrow her sweater is because I don't have any money to buy my own clothes. And here you are, making sure the vicious cycle completes itself."  
  
Hank shook his head and sighed in disbelief. "No, Dawn. You will make sure you don't borrow any more clothes without permission. And, after your punishment is successfully served, I will take both my girls out shopping. Sound good?" Both girls nodded and grinned at the potential.  
  
"Now'you girls kiss and make up. We have company for dinner tonight, and I want my two angels to be at their best behavior. Where's your mother? I need to call her and prepare her." Hank asked silently adding, 'For some reason, I don't think she's going to be to happy about the idea of canceling family reunion night after I've been at this architecture convention for a week. Oh well. This is important; a potential business deal.' The girls followed him into the kitchen as he started the coffee machine.  
  
"She's at the gallery." Buffy hoisted herself on the granite kitchen counter, popping a grape from the bystanding blue, ornate, bowl into her mouth, while Dawn went to the oak cabinets to retrieve some cups for the upcoming brew.  
  
"Who's coming for dinner?" Buffy asked, putting yet another grape into her mouth before going to find sugar and milk for the coffee.  
  
"Mr. Giles, his son, his wife, Mrs. Calendar, and her two sons. They're moving in as we speak, in the mansion across the street. It's going to be a little 'welcome to the neighborhood' dinner." 'And a potential business deal. Rupert Giles just might be willing to hire me for the new office complex he has planned. A deal like that could bring in bucks enough for me to retire.' Hank's line of thought was interrupted as he discovered his girls were no longer present, but had run out in the living room and were currently glued to the window facing the house across the street. 'Should have known I'd lose their attention at the first mention of boys'.  
  
"Oh my God. They're gorgeous," the girls exclaimed in unison.  
  
"Dibs on the tall, brown-haired hunk," Dawn said, wiping at her chin,making sure there wasn't drool trickling down.  
  
"Dawnie.," Buffy said, in a condescending tone. "That guy is way too old for you. You're only sixteen. He's probably in college. Like me." Buffy smiled evilly.  
  
"I hate you! Argh! You just watch me. He's gonna love me over you any day. One look at you, and he's gonna know just how evil you are. No one's gonna love you'not after what you did to Riley." With that, she stomped off and ran up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door. Buffy stared after her sister, disbelievingly, then shrugged her shoulders and went on to continue watching the two gorgeous men across the street.  
  
How could her sister be mad at her for dumping Riley? It wasn't her  
  
fault she didn't love him the way he did her. He had publicly humiliated her by declaring his love for her at Willow's birthday party and expecting an answer. She couldn't lie to them, so she had said it.  
  
"But I don't love you, Riley." It wasn't easy. She had cried in her friends' arms after he had stormed out. But, he was pressuring her. He should know better if he really loved her. Sure, she had humiliated him, but was he any better? She had to step up to her friends and admit that even though they had been going steady for a year. there wasn't love. Warm, fuzzy feelings, yes, but not love. It was embarrassing. He had made her look like the ultimate cold-hearted bitch numero uno in front of her friends. But hey, you know what they say; 'You can't hurry love. No, you just have to wait'.  
  
She continued to study the two men across the street and a third kid, about Dawn's age, as they moved boxes and furniture into the house. The seemingly oldest one was probably a bit older than Buffy. Two years, maybe? He was a tall, muscular mass, with dark hair and brown, narrow eyes that could melt any girl. He wore a navy blue silk shirt and slacks that hugged his yummy thighs and butt in all the right places. He was a classic good looker and probably had girls swooning for him. He seemed dark and mysterious.  
  
The other guy looked at first like an eighties reject, with a Billy Idol wanna-be thing going, with abnormally blonde hair. He seemed to be Buffy's age, twenty one, and was leaner, and not as tall as the other, but his tight black tee-shirt made promise of the lean, well toned muscles that rippled beneath. His black jeans, cigarette in the corner of his mouth, and untied army boots screamed rebel and danger.  
  
The youngest one was obviously the brother of the oldest and looked perfect for Dawn. Buffy would have to work on fixing the two of them up so she could get a foot in with the brother. She made an appreciative noise as the two oldest divested their shirts. She silently thanked the weather gods for the California sun making it unbearable to work out in the sun fully clothed.  
  
Just as she settled herself to a more relaxing manner to continue her private little peepshow, Joyce Summers walked in the front door with her arms full of brown paper grocery bags. "Hi, honey. Would you mind getting the other bags from the car?"  
  
She stood up and walked out, taking her good time with the bags, at the same time, throwing long, appreciative glances across the street.  
  
Ten minutes earlier, across the street. Rupert Giles stood tall, with an arm resting around the waist of his new wife, Jenny Calendar, proudly looking upon his new house. To think that five years earlier he had just lost his wife, was on the brink of losing his job as an accountant in merry old England, and now found himself a successful owner of a security company, the biggest and best west of the Rockies, and was remarried was unbelievable.  
  
The other reason he had had to leave England was because of his son, William. He had transformed after his mother's death, from a sensitive and sensible young man to a menace. He continuously got himself into trouble and Rupert felt like a new beginning. If it had not been for the fact that William's mother was American, and William had dual citizenship, they might not have been allowed to enter the States, due to William's criminal record.  
  
William had stolen a car and had gotten caught. Incredibly enough, the justice system had gone lightly, giving him a small sentence of ten days imprisonment, seeing as it was his first sentence and that he was only sixteen years old. Directly after getting out of jail, he had gotten himself into trouble fighting a former cellmate. The cellmate had not pressed charges, but the English justice system didn't like the pattern of the angry young man's actions, and had threatened to deport him to the States. Then, they chose to give him an ultimatum of choosing citizenship. At the hearing in court, he stood up, saying, "I s'pose I ought to see if I can fool yanks as easily as the likes of you bunch of pansies!".  
  
With that, they left for L.A, and now Rupert had decided to change a few things again, and moved to the small town of Sunnydale, California, hoping that another change of scenery would soften up his son.  
  
"Oi. Dad. Where do you want this box?" William 'Spike' Giles pulled his father out of his reverie. Although he sort of liked Jenny, he wasn't really comfortable watching whatever public affections they showed. Rupert Giles sighed. "Well, the box says 'kitchen,' so that might be it," Giles answered his son, in a slight condescending way. He knew all too well that William was acting up.  
  
Behind Spike, Liam 'Angel' Calendar, Jenny's eldest, came up, chuckling at his stepbrother's idiotic comment. "What's the matter, Billy? Can't read?"  
  
Spike offered him a murderous glare. "Told ya before, the name's Spike. And you'd do good remembering that." 'Ponce don't know what's best for him.'  
  
They were interrupted as Jenny's youngest, Connor, came out of the front door, after depositing his box and let out an exasperated sigh. "If you two stopped bickering like bitches, then maybe, just maybe, we might actually have moved in all this stuff before the end of the millennium."  
  
"Connor Calendar!" the high-pitched yell of Jenny sounded. "Watch your language, young man!" Angel and Spike both chuckled, but quickly stopped as it awarded them with a glare from Jenny. "And don't think I don't know where he picks up his language." She looked venomously at both Spike and Angel.  
  
"You two sort this testosterone-based need for quipping. I want you to behave. Mr. and Mrs. Summers have been very nice and invited us over for dinner this evening, and I don't want to give the impression that you two have the mentality of five year olds." All three boys made a noise, sighing their protest.  
  
"Mom, I don't see why we have to go. I mean, it's Friday night, and we wanna check out the town," Angel vocalized their protest.  
  
"You will go. No questions asked. It's a family thing. The Summers have two girls; one who will start at Sunnydale High school with Connor, while the other is attending UCS, where the two of you have transferred. They are attending this dinner, and so are you," Jenny said, pointing her fingers at the three young men.  
  
"If the chits don't 'ave anything better to do on a Friday night, they can't be very good-looking or social," Spike mumbled, trying to make sure only Angel heard him but alas, Jenny heard.  
  
"Don't think I didn't hear that. You're all going to be polite, and your charming selves this evening. Now, get moving," Jenny announced.  
  
Spike had the decency to hold it to himself what he thought at the moment; 'Bossy chit. She's not my mum.'  
  
Connor, Spike and Angel made their way down to the moving van. Spike and Angel disposed themselves of their shirts, since it was time to move the couch, and didn't feel the need to overheat. As Connor drank from his water bottle, he noticed the girl across the street.  
  
"Hey, guys! I think we have an audience." He grinned as he tilted his head towards the girl, so Spike and Angel would notice.  
  
"Well, hubba, hubba." Angel's jaw dropped at the sight of her. Right across the street stood the Californian version of Venus. She was slim, with a perfect golden tan and blond hair that cascaded in waves down her shoulders. Her hungry eyes had the most undefinable shade of blue green that changed, depending on light. She wore cut-off jeans, showing off her beautifully tanned long legs, and a dark pink tank top that hugged her oh- so perfect curves. Spike and Angel were both paralyzed by her beauty. Her face flushed a bit at the realization she'd been caught looking at them, but she quickly took on a humored face and giggled at the action revealing itself.  
  
Angel dropped the couch he'd been holding, and it landed on top of Spike's feet. "You bloody wanker! Watch where you put that thing! I don't fancy getting my feet broken! Move it away, you nitwit!"  
  
This spectacle earned a whole-hearted laugh from Buffy, who started her retreat towards the house. 'Who knew British was such a colorful language, and sexy too'. She made her way inside to help her mom with dinner, eagerly anticipating the evening and the arrival of the neighbors.  
  
Across the street, Spike and Angel had started to look on the evening with a brighter view as well. 


	2. Dinner Is Ready

A/N: Thanx for the feedback and yes, this will be a Buffy/Spike fic eventually, but I'm going to have my fun getting there. So please, bare with me? After reading this chapter you might think I'm being too nice to Riley, and I do to. Things will change. There's also a couple in this chapter some might find weird, but I'm trying to make it work. I first planned the traditional coupling of C/A, but Julz pleaded with me not to. I actually agree with her. I think they're awful together. I have a hard time picturing Angel happy with anyone but Buffy, but at the same time I believe Buffy will only be happy with Spike. There's a puzzle for me. I think I have it figured out. Last. This chapter is really long and again please bare with me. I hope I can make it worth your while.*PHEW* Once again huge thanx to Alena who Beta read this chapter aswell. On with the story : )  
  
Chapter 2: Dinner Is Ready  
  
The rest of the afternoon went along calmly in the Summers residence. *ahem.* Well, as calmly as it could, with two sisters preparing to fight for the attention of three boys. Buffy had caught her sister, when she came into her bedroom, trying to steal Buffy's favorite plaid skirt. Buffy had started to yell, but Dawn was saved by the bell when Buffy's phone rang.  
  
"Hello?" Buffy answered the phone.  
  
"Dish!" Came the excited and yet commanding voice at the other end.  
  
"Oh, hi, Willow. What's up?" Buffy replied, before she spotted the figure calmly heading for the door, in the corner of her eye. She put a hand to the receiver and shouted, "Drop the skirt or I will so tell dad!" Dawn frowned and left the skirt, before stomping off to her own room.  
  
"Where was I? Oh yeah. What do you mean, 'dish?'"  
  
"Anya just came in and was all moonstruck. Seems like she drove by your street and nearly crashed as she saw, and I quote, 'The two most lickable chewtoys ever,' across the street from your house."  
  
Buffy's eyes became hazy at remembering the two guys all too well. Then, she noticed the phone in her hand, and remembered she was talking to her best friend. "Dad has invited them over for dinner tonight, and I'm really looking forward to it. I just have to keep Dawn out of the way. What do you care about two boys anyway? Things are better between you and Tara, right?" Buffy asked, her voice full of worry.  
  
"Tara and I are okay. I just wish she'd move back into the house with Anya and me. Anya and Xander can be a bit too much' considering I don't really have a snuggle buddy of my own at the moment. She holds out on the smooches, says we need to rebuild her trust in me. But, anyway, who says I can't be happy for my best friend, having two temptations across the street, helping her forget 'The Riley Incident?' Dinner with them tonight, you say? Call me later and give me all the details."  
  
The phone was ripped from Willow's hand when Anya decided to put in a word. "Yes, we want all the details. Willow has to hang up now. You know, phone bill. Speaking of finances, when are you going to move in to help with rent money?"  
  
Buffy let out a laugh. That was Anya for you; all about money and boys. "I already explained to you. I can't afford the rent, and staying with Mom and Dad is free. As for the dishing part, I'll report to you at the mall at twelve hundred hours, tomorrow. I have some money to burn. Call Cordy and Tara, bring them, and we'll have girl time."  
  
" 'K. Bye."  
  
"Bye. Love you both."  
  
Buffy went into the shower and slowly started planning her moves for the evening. When she came out, she curled her hair, creating delicate waves, and put on some light makeup, before heading to the closet. She tried on a dozen outfits before coming to a decision of wearing a pale blue dress that went a bit lower than mid thigh. It was done in a silk imitation and wasn't too tight but, just tight enough to show off her curves. The skirt of it was the kind that swirled if she turned fast, similar to the kind of design that they pulled off in the 60s. The doorbell rang, and she headed for the stairs, where she bumped into her sister. They shared an angry look before continuing down the stairs. At the bottom, their guests were entering.  
  
"Ah!There's my two angels now!" Hank announced, with a proud smile on his lips. "Buffy, Dawn. Say hello to Mr. Giles."  
  
Buffy and Dawn went up to the tweed-clad man, smiling and taking his hand. "How do you do?" Giles answered in his upper class British accent.  
  
"And his wife, Mrs. Calendar."  
  
"Please. Call me Jenny," the brunette answered, greeting the girls. "These are my two sons, Connor and Liam," she said, gesturing to her boys.  
  
"And this is my son, William," Giles said, nudging a go-ahead to Spike. Buffy and Dawn both, blushed shamelessly at hand-to-hand contact with the boys in question. The trio just gave their best cocky grin in response, measuring the girls up and down.  
  
At Joyce's invitation, they proceeded to the dining room and sat down. Buffy sat opposite of Spike, and blushed like a schoolgirl every time he and Angel looked at her. Dawn sat across Connor, and enviously looked at the way Spike and Angel were measuring up her sister. She didn't even notice that she had an admirer of her own right across the table.  
  
Connor studied the brunette intently. She was beauty incarnated, he thought. Sure, she didn't have the grace of her older sister, and seemed a bit unhappy at the moment. She wore a beautiful pastel pink dress much like her sister's, but Dawn didn't fill it out quite the way Buffy did. Still, there was something about the way her mouth sometimes twitched that had him wondering what it would be like to feel those lips pressed up against his own.  
  
Dinner conversations went along, much like first meeting conversations usually do, everyone praising the hostess' cooking, and with the younger attendants only speaking when spoken to. Buffy and Angel learned from their mothers that they had taken the same artistic drawing course in freshman year, and soon found themselves discussing what type of pencil stroke was best, applying to different types of shadows.  
  
Dawn found herself interrogated by Jenny, about school and extracurricular activities for her son, and Joyce asking Dawn to meet up with Connor, give him the tour of the school and introduce him to her friends on Monday morning. Connor didn't look too happy at the moment, with his mother embarrassing him and treating him like a kid with absolutely no social skills.  
  
Hank and Giles learned they shared three interests; mythical literature, fine scotch, and Cuban cigars. "Honey! While you finish dessert, and put on the coffee, Giles and I, here, are going to go to my study. I want to show him this copy of Vampire: Myth and Lore that I got when we went to England last year," Hank announced to his wife.  
  
"Are you referring to the one Quentin Travers wrote?" Giles replied, failing to hide the excitement in his voice.  
  
"You two do that. Dessert will be ready in fifteen minutes. And go easy on the whiskey," Joyce whispered to her husband, patting his shoulder while standing up and heading towards the kitchen.  
  
"I'll help you," Jenny said, following Joyce back to the kitchen. "Besides, I absolutely have to get your recipe for that marinade you used on the roast."  
  
"Oh, that's actually Buffy's," Joyce replied, and winked at her daughter.  
  
"Wow! A great cook and beautiful. Tell me, Miss Summers, are there any other talents you're hiding?" Angel asked, in a seductive manner.  
  
Dawn mentally stuck her tongue out at her sister, and was just about to interrupt Angel's and Buffy's shameless flirting, when Spike did. He didn't like the way Angel was obviously putting his best moves on the girl. "So, what do you do for fun around here?" Spike asked, his question directed to Buffy.  
  
"Well," Buffy hesitated. "There's a mall about a ten minute drive from here, and by campus there are a few coffee shops to get your caffeine fix and socialize with other students. There's also a great athletic wing on campus where I swim and have my diving practices. At night, there's a few clubs, but I think the Bronze is the best."  
  
Buffy didn't get to continue, as her sister jumped in. "The Bronze is so cool. It's like, the coolest place in Sunnydale."  
  
Both Angel and Spike raised eyebrows at Dawn's exclamation. Buffy caught their expressions and decided to continue. "Well, yeah, they do let teenagers in, so they don't serve hard liquor, but they have bands playing weeknights that are really good. On Fridays and Saturdays they have a band playing first, and then throw out everyone under twenty-one, and keep the place open till 3 AM. Besides, Sunnydale doesn't have a lot of clubs to choose from. There's a bar called Willy's that have your average drunk, and the country club is full of really stuck-up people that you usually find in country clubs. You should come to the Bronze tomorrow night. My friends, Oz and Devon, are playing with their band and...and I'm gonna stop rambling now." Buffy came to a halt in her speech, once again her face flushed at the realization she was making a complete fool of herself. Or so she thought.  
  
Dawn let out a cackling laugh at her sister's expense, until Spike abruptly put his hand over Buffy's and got her attention. "I'd love to come with you, luv." The voice was low, accented, and loaded with emotions that sent tingles down Buffy's spine. She couldn't help swallowing, hard, as she looked into the deep blue eyes of the man that had spoken to her. I'm pretty sure I could drown in those She just kept staring at him, with eyes wide, until he pulled his hand back.  
  
Angel came over the initial shock at his stepbrother's nerve, and realized what Spike's game was. 'Nah-ah, not gonna happen. This one's mine!' He pulled the conversation back to the previous topic of drawing, and soon got the sole attention of Buffy again.  
  
Spike realized he didn't really have an opinion on single stroke versus cross strokes when creating shadows in twilight lighting, and decided to retreat to the outdoors to get his nicotine fix before dessert.  
  
Dawn looked at the couple discussing drawing, and realized Angel was way to caught up in her sister, by the way he smiled and looked at her. Disgusting, really. 'Oh well. Angel may be a lost cause, but if he is, Spike is up for grabs'. She followed Spike out to the porch and sat down next to him. She studied the way he sucked on the fag, his already sharp jaw and cheekbones becoming even more accentuated when his chin sucked in and blew the smoke in, then out through his mouth and nostrils. His eyes were nearly closed, and Dawn thought for a moment that he hadn't even noticed he had company.  
  
"What can I do for you, Bit?" His voice was soft.  
  
'What he can do for me? Ah, one or two things come to my mind! Wait a minute, did he call me 'Bit?' As in 'Little Bit?'   
  
"You know, I'm not a kid!" Dawn spat. "I've dated guys your age before! Xander even took me to the dance this spring!" She stood up and started pacing angrily.  
  
Spike chuckled a bit at the scene she was making, and spoke. "Look, Bit. Not to say I'm not flattered or anything, but you're a bit young for my pallet, and I don't fancy big sis accusing me of robbing the cradle either. Secondly, my stepbrother has already set his eyes on you."  
  
"Angel likes me?" Her eyes lit up as she considered this, and a smile grew wide.  
  
"If it was Angel, I would 'ave hit on you just to piss him off. I'm talking about Connor. He's been gawking at you all night."  
  
At this response, Dawn's smile contorted. "Eww! He's just a baby."  
  
"And your point is?" Spike asked gently.  
  
Dawn silently figured out if she called Connor a baby, and Connor was as old as she was, that would make her... 'No! So not going there!' The Nile is just a river in Egypt.  
  
"Come on, Bit. Let's go have a look at what surprise your mum's made for dessert." They smiled at each other, went inside, found Hank and Giles coming back from the study, and joined the others at the table, when Jenny and Joyce brought out the blueberry pie and coffee.  
  
Later, Giles and Jenny decided to call it a night, and the Summers followed their guests to the door. Spike and Angel gave Buffy a longing look, but Buffy only noticed Angel, and smiled. Connor gave Dawn the same longing look, and she managed to put on an awkward smile. "So. See you guys at the Bronze tomorrow? At eight?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Angel responded.  
  
*Downtown Sunnydale, same evening*  
  
In an alley, a brown haired, twenty-one year old man dressed in khaki pants and a Hawaiian, blue flowered shirt made his way to a door underneath a sign that said Willy's, Bar Open in yellow neon letters. He stepped in, took a look around at the visible clientele, and greeted the bartender. "Hey, Willy. Where is he holding up?"  
  
"What, Xander? Uncle Willy don't even get a 'How you been?' or 'How's business?'" The bartender replied. Xander shuddered at the uncle reference, remembering all too clear back when he was a little boy and his father would bring him to this place and 'dear old Uncle Willy' had to take care of him. When his father either became too drunk and passed out, or would get drunk and strike at him, the outcome was either getting Uncle Willy to call a cab, or get Uncle Willy to patch him up.  
  
"Where's Riley?" Xander's voice was thick and croaking with emotion of past memories, and Willy let it go. "In the back."  
  
Xander made his way to the back of the not-so-fine establishment, and threw disgusted glances at the familiar faces of times past. He shrugged his memory off, remembering he had a friend in need of some help.  
  
"Riley," Xander called out.  
  
"Harris," Riley Finn responded, tilting his glass of cheap bourbon in a greeting, before guzzling down its contents.  
  
"Man, you look like shit," Xander commented. Riley really did look awful. His dark blond hair was greasy and tousled, his light blue shirt and jeans were stained with yellow marks. "We have to get you out of here! No good will come of it if you sit around this dump, feeling sorry for yourself. How about we head back to your place and you clean yourself up? Then we can head down to the Bronze. Sound good? The gang misses you," Xander lied. Okay, it was a small, but required, lie.   
  
He was the only one in the gang that really had connected with Riley. The reason the girls didn't care was obvious. They were biased in the whole Riley-Buffy situation. The guys, Devon and Oz, just didn't really care. They were too caught up in their own life. Xander figured there were two reasons he couldn't stand idly by, while Riley flushed his life down the drain. One was Xander couldn't stand seeing yet another life ruined by alcohol. Two was Riley had become Jessie's replacement. Jessie had been Xander's best friend, up to the car accident that killed him. The driver had been drunk, of course.  
  
When he'd befriended Devon and Oz in high school, it was different. They sort of had each other, and Xander would always be an outsider when they started talking about music. When Riley moved from Iowa to Sunnydale, Xander had found a friend with the same interests as he and for the first time after Jessie, he didn't feel left out.  
  
"I...I can't. I'm not ready to see her," came Riley's quiet response.  
  
"Don't worry about it, man. She's busy with some family thing. Anya told me," Xander replied, not bothering to question who 'her' was. He knew all too well. Buffy could very well hold the demise of every male in Sunnydale. Riley wasn't the first to get the unrequited love treatment. Xander had felt it to, back in high school, when he had a crush on Buffy and she had started to date Scott Hope.  
  
Riley nodded, and stood up reluctantly. He knew Xander had his best interest in mind. After paying the tab, they left.  
  
*At Bronze, in the same evening*   
  
Cordelia tapped her manicured nails against the bar. The noise it made seemingly soothed her nerves to a certain extent. Her friends and boyfriend were late. It didn't look good for an ex-prom queen and cheerleader to stand alone like this. She shifted in her seat and ran a hand through her dark, silk tresses in frustration. She shifted from looking at the entrance to her watch. She reached for her frappachino to take a sip from the straw. When she moved her lips from it, a drop fell from the straw and into the lap of her beige, chamois leather skirt. It left a very visible and disgusting stain. "Damn," she frowned as she stood up, applying a napkin to the stain  
  
"What? Is little princess making a mess? Are my eyes deceiving me, Harmony?" A chill went down Cordelia's spine at the sound of the all too familiar British voice commenting behind her. She turned around, facing the fair skinned brunette in question, and her herd of sheep.  
  
"Why, Dru! I'm surprised to see you up and about already. I mean, with the little accident the surgeon had when he performed..." Cordelia stepped closer and changed her tone to a mock whisper, making sure everyone overheard, "well, you know...your nose job." At the 'nose job' part, Cordelia lifted her finger to Drusilla's nose for emphasis. Cordelia mock gasped and continued, "Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie. He wasn't able to fix it, was he? Oh well, you know what? Some people say it has its charm to have abnormal features. Everybody loved Quasimodo." At the last bit of Cordelia's, speech, Melody, one of Drusilla's said sheep, couldn't help but snort.  
  
Drusilla scowled at Melody, before returning her attention to Cordelia. Dru's eyes flashed red for a moment, before slapping away the offending finger pointing in her face. "I'm glad to see that you haven't lost your sense of humor on top of losing...well, everything else." With her last comment, Drusilla and her sheep headed out to the dance floor.  
  
Cordelia started reminiscing back to the time when she was the leader of the herd. It had all come to an end when Drusilla Wyndham-Price had moved to Sunnydale. Her father, Wesley, was a loaded investor, so she was immediately approved as a member of the very closed club of Cordelia, Harmony, Melody, Amy and a few other selected sheep. Its admission required a platinum card and good looks. They were the girls envied by all.  
  
Drusilla played everyone like pawns in a game of chess. It wasn't long before Cordelia was squeezed out, the excuse being her that the man she was dating was beneath her. She started dating Alexander Harris, the son of a drunk, unemployed man. Things were really good with Xander for awhile. Right up until he and Willow couldn't manage to suppress their imagined romantic feelings for one another. Cordelia and Oz, Willow's boyfriend at the time, were crushed.  
  
Cordelia and Oz took time comforting each other, giving each other words of encouragement. It didn't take too much time before Oz realized that Cordelia wasn't quite the airhead everyone assumed her to be. Equally, it didn't take Cordelia too much time to realize that there was more beneath the label 'freak' she had put on Daniel 'Oz' Osmond.  
  
It was kind of funny how they actually got together. As soon as they realized the emotions the other stirred up, they started denying it and avoided each other. It went fine for a week, until one night at the Bronze. Oz and Devon had just finished playing a set with their band, Dingoes Ate My Baby, when Cordelia walked up and asked why he had been avoiding her. Oz asked her the same question and a vocal fight soon ensued. It ended in a world-altering kiss.  
  
They had been together since, and made quite the odd couple. But it didn't matter what people thought. They made each other happy.  
  
"Aww. My little airhead really shouldn't do all that thinking. You know how much your head will hurt after overload."  
  
Cordelia's smile grew wider at the sound of her boyfriend's voice. "Well, if my little freak would bother to show up on time, I wouldn't have to worry my pretty little head, would I?" Cordelia responded, before putting her arms around Oz's shoulders.  
  
Willow watched the happy couple for a few seconds, before interrupting to say 'hello' to them both. She looked around the place and spotted Anya with Tara over at one of the tables. 'Oh God, please let my eyes deceive me. Anya isn't over there, trying to convince Tara to move back in, because of the money, is she?' Willow hurried over to her ex and roommate, trying to avoid the possible catastrophe.  
  
Anya left as soon as she spotted her boyfriend at the entrance, and Willow and Tara were left alone. Tara was the first to break the awkward silence. She stared intently at her redheaded ex-lover, before finding the voice to speak. "Listen, Willow. I've been thinking. I want to move back in with you and Anya." Willow looked shocked, but as soon as she realized the implications of the blonde's words, a huge smile spread across her face.  
  
Tara continued, "If this is going to work, I need to know for sure that you'll never take ecstasy again. I want you to take tests every week until I'm sure you're not using."  
  
"Anything, baby. I'll do anything to have you back in my life!" Willow squealed.  
  
"Why don't you come over here and kiss me already?" Tara asked, pouting. Willow didn't need to be asked twice.  
  
A little while later, Oz, Cordelia, Xander, Anya, Tara, Willow, and Devon were all gathered around the table. "Did anyone see where Riley went?" Xander asked.  
  
"Riley is here?" Willow spat.  
  
"Hey, take pity on the guy. He was really drunk and hurt when you caught him trying to climb up to Buffy's window." To Xander's surprise, it was Devon who said it. Here he thought he was the only who cared.  
  
"Speaking of that incident, I really don't think it would be healthy if Buffy ever found out. We need to keep it to ourselves," Tara said.  
  
"I don't believe it!" Cordelia nearly shouted.  
  
"What?" Xander asked, before everybody followed Cordelia's gaze.  
  
Their eyes spotted Riley, kissing Drusilla.  
  
"Well. She always was into competing with Buffy. Anybody remember the 'Parker incident?' Hell, she's always tried to make a move for Riley," Xander said. They all nodded their agreement, and went on trying to shake the disturbing image out of their mind, so they could have some usual Friday night fun. They made a silent pact not to mention anything to Buffy. 


	3. Revelations

Chapter 3 Revelations  
  
On Revello Drive, the Giles-Calendar household was settling in for the night. Jenny and Giles were really grateful for not having to cook their first night in the house. All the kitchen appliances were still in boxes, so the invitation Hank Summers had offered was much appreciated. Jenny and Giles went to their room and pretty soon the three boys went to theirs as well.  
  
Spike went into his room and stared around at the empty wall and boxes. He and Angel had originally fought for the room on the other side of the house. It was facing the pool and garden and had a small patio. They had Connor place two twigs in his hand, one shorter then the other, and drawed for the room in question. Spike, with his luck, had of course lost. As he settled himself in his windowsill for a smoke, he started to think maybe for once lady fortune had taken pity on him after all.  
  
His window was facing the street, and the house across. There in one of the lit rooms he spotted Buffy moving around. Apparently his room was facing Buffy's. A grin formed in his face at his stepbrother's expense. Of course he would have loved her to like him better than Angel. But at the same time he had seen the way she had looked at Angel when they left.  
  
He knew right then that Angel would be the one to win the war. Buffy seemed like an intelligent girl, it was a pity she would fall for the sports idiot Angel was. Sure Angel had taken art classes and that covered him up nicely. But Angel had failed to mention that he wouldn't even be in college if it weren't for his football scholarship.  
  
Angel seemed safe, Spike didn't and Spike thought he knew what kind of guy that eventually would win the heart of the gorgeous blonde.  
  
Spike had to settle for making Angel miserable by making moves Angel didn't dare. Just like the one, this evening, when he put his hand over hers. The faces she and Angel made were priceless. She was absolutely beautiful. Spike sighed and threw the butt, of his nearly forgotten cigarette away, as the lights were shut in the room across the street.  
  
He made his way through the window and again studied his room. The only things that had gotten their rightful place, was the bed, his acoustic guitar, his Fender guitar and amplifier. He pulled up his acoustic, sat on his bed and gently started to strum its strings.  
  
His mind drifted and he was taking a look back on his love life. He had his fair share of one-nightstands and dates leading nowhere. Sure, most of them were pretty and intelligent girls, but none of them compared to Cecily. Cecily was like him, deep and wild at the same time. He had met her when he was 16, back in London, and she was one of the reasons he had applied his rebel lifestyle.  
  
Cecily loved the dangerous edge he had and nothing would thrill her more than when he jacked a car, and whisked her away in it, in menacing speeds. 16 year olds shouldn't really know that much about sexual passions but they were the exception. He loved remembering how her pierced tongue would feel in his mouth and tracing down his neck before continuing to regions further south. He loved the feel of her soft and multicolored hair, her piercing brown eyes had a look reserved only for him. He couldn't quite put his finger on exactly what there was about Buffy that reminded him of Cecily. It could be the look in her eyes. He was pretty sure the goody-two- shoes side he'd seen tonight was an act.  
  
Things had gone bad when he left for L.A. Sure Cecily came over a couple of times, but Spike quickly found out they were no longer exclusive. She pleaded with him to remain friends, but Spike couldn't take it and sent her back to England refusing to even talk to her. Spike decided to start a new life and gave up working for starting at the university. That meant he couldn't afford a place of his own, so when time came for his father to move to Sunnydale, Spike followed.  
  
The initial shock of his father remarrying had subdued. After all he deserved to be happy. Still it hurt him a bit, that his mother no longer was the love of his father's life. Jenny was great about it. She was mothering Spike in a subtle way, always making sure to let him know her intentions weren't to replace his mother.  
  
As for his older stepbrother, Angel, detest seemed a fitting description of Spike's feelings towards him. Angel had every personality trait, Spike hated. Angel was smug, egotistical, overly self-confident, cocky and worst of all a fool. As for Connor it was a bit different.  
  
Connor reminded him of what he was like before he lost his mother. He was a smartass, but still sort of shy. Connor and Spike, had good times mocking Angel. That brought them a bit closer.  
  
Spike stood of his bed, headed for one of the boxes, and pulled out a picture of his mother. He went back to bed and put the picture to his chest. The comfort it provided soon lulled him to sleep.  
  
Across the street Buffy had settled between the sheets in her bed. She was staring at the ceiling. Sleep had apparently no plans to claim her any time soon. She let out a frustrated sigh, and shifted to a new position for the umpteenth time. Her mind was racing and butterflies fluttered around in her stomach.  
  
Her mind was concentrating on Spike and Angel. Meeting them, talking to them, had led her to the conclusion that Angel really wasn't any different form Riley except a better wrapping and a common interest in art.  
  
Spike on the other hand wasn't like anyone she'd ever met. He was so upfront it made her both frustrated and fascinated. He had this vibe that screamed wild and passionate. She was fully aware that he probably held the power to both infuriate and charm her.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted at the sound of pebbles being thrown at her window. She got up from bed, walked up to the window and opened it, only to spot Riley down at the ground.  
  
"Riley? What are you doing here" she loudly whispered, trying to not wake up anyone in the house. "Buffy I... I want you back" Riley yelled, his voice revealing his not so sober state.  
  
"Riley..." her voice was full of pity. "You can't just expect me to take you back, the way you stormed out", She lied, knowing she would have dumped him eventually anyway, since their relationship wasn't progressing. " Besides you're drunk, don't say or do anything you only will regret in the morning. We can talk tomorrow when you're sober" With that she closed the window and went back to bed.  
  
Down at ground level, Riley was staggering his way, back home, silently vowing that one way or the other, he would claim her back. Show her what she was missing. Make her love him. Thing's hadn't worked out with Drusilla. As soon as she found out it was over between Riley and Buffy, she had started talking dirt about Buffy, her intentions to help him. He'd been disgusted by it and left  
  
  
  
  
  
The morning after, in the Summers' residence, Buffy had decided to ease up on her sister and offer her to come along to the mall. Dawn was thrilled at a chance to go to the mall with her sister's cool friends. This was her idea of a perfect day. Things hadn't really been good between Dawn and Buffy.  
  
  
  
  
  
Dawn hadn't really liked Riley, still she saw the way he loved her sister. To Dawn, that meant a perfect relationship. If someone loved you it guaranteed an everlasting relationship was Dawn's opinion. The opinion was shattered when they broke up. Of course Buffy being cranky wasn't helping sister love either.  
  
Dawn and Buffy were picked up in Cordelia's red convertible and they proceeded to the mall, where they met up with Anya, Tara and Willow. The first thing Buffy noticed was Willow and Tara holding hands. Happy that they were back together, Buffy congratulated and hugged them both.  
  
After three hours of shopping, Buffy spending both the money her father had given her and a good sum from her savings account, the six girls headed towards the food court to gossip and refill on charbs in form of lattes.  
  
Buffy began retelling yesterday's dinner down to every detail. Her eyes became dreamy when she told them about the move Spike had made a move, putting his hand over hers, staring at her with those beautiful sapphire eyes. That was when Dawn decided to chime in. " He only did it to make Angel jealous"  
  
" What? NO! You don't have a clue Dawnie", Buffy's voice bore testimony to that her plans to treat her sister with respect, was forgotten. " I do to! He told me so when we were outside", Dawn replied, a proud look on her face.  
  
Buffy looked shocked 'Is Dawn telling the truth? Was he faking it? No, he couldn't have. His eyes were so honest' Willow studied her best friend's look of disappointment, and decided to try to clarify things. "Are you sure Dawn? What exactly did he say?", the redhead asked.  
  
Dawn didn't really feel like dishing out about the part she had made a fool of herself so she replied, " He said, he hits on the girls Angel like, to piss him off". Buffy looked truly devastated. Tara spotted Drusilla and her crew and pondered whether or not it was right, not to tell Buffy about Riley and Drusilla. She never got a chance to tell as Drusilla came up to their table.  
  
" Well, well, well. What do we have here? Feeling blue for the loss of your boyfriend perhaps? Just wanted to let you know I helped him out a bit last night. And to judge by his kiss I did a good job helping him forget about you" The brunette had a predatory smile on her lips.  
  
Buffy wanted to wipe that smile off and decided to not show her surprise and instead retaliated. " Dru, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but that kiss couldn't have been that good on your part, since he came over to my place, pleading with me to take him back."  
  
Dru threw her hair over her shoulder and ran off. She was searching her purse for her cell, when she bumped into a gorgeous blond "Easy pet. Where are you heading off in such a hurry?", a British accent asked her. She placed one of her 'charm the innocents' smile on her lips before replying; " Why it is rare to find an Englishman in Sunnydale, how are matters in the mother country? My name is Drusilla Wyndham-Price" she replied with perfect North-London accent, while reaching out her hand to greet.  
  
Spike was baffled, by this dark and pale beauty. She seemed to have a predatory edge in her and he liked that in a girl. The fact that she was English could be another plus. She looked like the upper-class version of Cecily. For a moment, he reminded himself just how well that had worked out, before answering, "Spike", he said taking her hand, "Wouldn't know really. 'aven't been there for a while. Been shacking up in the city of angels for a few years. Just moved here."  
  
" If you're new to this town, you have to give me the pleasure of showing it to a fellow countryman. What are your plans for the evening?" Drusilla asked. "I'm meeting up with some people at this place called Bronze", he answered thinking this girl might have what it would take to get his mind off Buffy. " Perfect! I will meet you there around 8. I'll introduce you to the right people", she purred. ' This bird's kind of bossy isn't she?', he thought before agreeing, "I'll see you there"  
  
With that they parted and Spike spotted Buffy at a nearby table and headed over. Drusilla caught this movement and silently plotted revenge over Buffy's comments earlier.  
  
The conversations around the table had long ago switched from Spike's interest vs. disinterest to Riley. All the girls but Buffy and Dawn had shared a look before nodding their agreement. After last night's event they realized it was wise to tell Buffy what Willow had seen a week ago. At the time no one wanted to tell her because they knew she'd be furious with Riley. Since yesterday had proven it wasn't a one-time thing they decided to give her a warning.  
  
" Buffy. Riley tried to sneak into your room a week ago. I was kind of worried he might. well, do something to you. I stopped him and I talked it over with the rest of the gang and we kind of agreed not to tell you. He was really drunk and we thought he wouldn't do anything like that again. The reason we didn't want to tell you was we thought you'd get mad and that would only make things worse. Since he went to your place again we're telling you now. Just want to give you a warning. There's no telling what he might do when he's drunk and broken hearted."  
  
When Willow came to an end to her speech, she was surprised by Buffy's reaction. Buffy started laughing. Hard. The rest of the girls shared a puzzled look. " Now what exactly is it you find so amusing, pet?", Spike asked as he came up to the table and saw Buffy laughing.  
  
Buffy calmed herself before answering. " It's just my friends worrying that my ex is going to hurt me", she laughed a bit more before continuing. "For crying out loud guys. Riley gets a guilty conscience stepping on bugs, and you think he'd be able to hurt me!" The girls didn't look convinced, in fact they looked even more worried.  
  
Spike spoke up, " The lost love of a girl like you, could drive a man to many things, pet. If it were me there's no telling what I'd do." Buffy remembered Dawn's words from earlier and decided she wasn't going to fall for his act again. " Well it's a good thing I'm not nor will be your girl then, and quit with the name calling" she said looking away from him not able to look into his eyes. Afraid he might see the truth in her eyes.  
  
It was Spike's turn to look puzzled. Where was the warm, lovely creature that sat at the table last night? He looked at Dawn to see if she held the answer but the girl just looked away. Cordelia broke the silence; "You must be Spike. I'm Cordelia. We've heard a lot about you." This earned a glare from Buffy who didn't want Spike to know she'd been talking about him.  
  
Spike was introduced to the rest of the girls and excused himself; " It was a pleasure meeting all of you and I hope to see you tonight. If you'll excuse me, I have a few errands to attend to"  
  
The girls agreed to spend the afternoon before going to The Bronze at Anya, Tara and Willow's place since it was close to the club. Their place was referred to as the factory since it was an abandoned factory. Cordelia stopped at Buffy's house letting Dawn off and let Buffy leave the fruits of her shopping except what she was going to wear later. She grabbed the makeup that would fit in her bag and left. Dawn had a paper due Monday and couldn't go out.  
  
As Buffy came back to the car she pondered the fact that Angel hadn't really been around for Spike to piss off. 'Let it go Buff he's not interested. Angel is.' 


	4. Nighttime

Chapter 4 Nighttime  
  
"So what are we going to make for dinner", Tara asked, while Willow poured 5 glasses of Paul Mason white wine.  
  
"We could make some pasta primavera. If you have some pasta and veggies laying around?", Buffy replied coming out of the bathroom, while simultaneously drying off her hair after the shower. She wrapped the towel around her hair like a turban, before coming over to the kitchen counter to take a sip of the wine her friend was offering.  
  
" Check on the veggies, check on the pasta if fusilli will do?" Anya said rummaging through the cabinets of their kitchen.  
  
The old factory turned living space had turned out great. Xander and Riley had done most of the work, putting up walls to separate the 3 bedrooms and bathroom. Installing the kitchen and fix plumbing for both bathroom and kitchen. They had gotten the supplies cheap from Xander's contacts in construction. The factory itself, was owned by Mr. Chase, Cordelia's father, who let them rent the place really cheap since they fixed the place up.  
  
The result was a huge living room and Kitchen that were perfect for throwing parties in. Willow held a few wild parties with some new friends she had met on campus. But after awhile things started to get out of hand and Willow had started taking ecstasy. Her old friends found out pretty quickly and held an intervention, not liking this new side of Willow one bit.  
  
Tara was so disappointed she broke up with Willow and moved out and that was what it took for Willow to realize her error. She had been clean for a month now and she was back with Tara. 'Life doesn't get any better than this' Willow thought as she looked at her lover laughing at something Cordy just said. Willow started a trip down memory lane trying to remember all the twists and turns life had taken to get her here.  
  
In the beginning it had been her, Xander and Jessie. Middle school and the beginning of high school had been a nightmare. They were the social outcasts. Willow's shy personality, continuously being the victim of Cordelia Chase and Harmony Kendall's teasing. It all changed when Buffy moved to Sunnydale a little over five years ago.  
  
Jessie died and they had a new friend who used to be little miss popular in her old high school. Buffy stuck up to the cheerleaders' banter for Willow. Willow and Buffy had been best friends ever since. When Cordelia started dating Xander and Willow, Oz, they all gradually became friends. Their friendships even survived when Willow and Xander kissed and got caught by Cordelia and Oz. When Anya moved to Sunnydale her senior year, she had immediately fell flat for Xander so she became a part of the gang as well.  
  
In college Willow had met Tara, and Tara stirred up emotions Willow never knew she had. She came to terms that she was bisexual and had a crush on Tara. When Willow announced her feelings for Tara, Tara admitted she had feelings for Willow as well. They'd been in love ever since. And here they all were.  
  
" Are you thinking about orgasms?", Anya interrupted the redhead in her reverie. "Not every happy thought has to be about orgasms, Anya" Willow replied, accustomed to the blonde's direct approach.  
  
Tara and Buffy made dinner, and the five girls joined together at the dinner table eating pasta and drinking wine. They all laughed and chatted, forgetting all their passed troubles. After dinner they indulged in Cordelia's favorite pastime activity; Makeovers. She had her fun discussing which color eye shadows they should wear, what tint the gloss should have, if their hair should be up, down or curled.  
  
By the time Cordelia was done, practically everything the three roommates owned of clothing had been tried on at Cordelia's demand. She stepped away from Tara, Willow and Anya holding her thumb up and squeezing one of her eyes shut as if studying a work of art. Liking the result she clapped her hands excitedly. "You guys look great", Cordelia squealed obviously happy with her result.  
  
Willow, Tara and Anya, stepped over to a large, full-size mirror mounted on the west wall and smiled at the transformation Cordelia had made. "Xander won't be able to wait copulating, when he sees me like this. I'm going to have many orgasms tonight. But first, we dance!" Anya said admiring the mirror.  
  
"Finally", Buffy sighed heading towards the exit. Cordelia, Willow, Tara and Anya at her heels.  
  
Half an hour later they had met up with Xander, Oz and Devon at The Bronze. They had gotten a table with a good view of the stage and the entrance. Buffy spotted Spike and Angel entering. Spike looked delicious. He had his bad boy, 80s resurrection look down to every detail. A cigarette in the corner of his mouth, his scarred eyebrow tilted upwards a bit as he saw Buffy. His black, leather duster was open and the tight black tee-shirt and jeans revealed the perfect abs and strong but lean thighs that laid beneath. Buffy swallowed at the sight of him.  
  
Spike entered with Angel at his heels, what he presumed to be an old warehouse remodeled into a club. When he entered the first thing he noticed was Buffy. She looked so good he could eat her up. She had light makeup on and her hair was slightly curled, causing waves down her shoulders. She wore black leather pants, a black leather jacket and a crimson red top underneath, that showed off a bit of her cleavage, but still managed to leave some things up to Spike's very vivid imagination. Spike gulped and closed his duster, to not reveal the growing bulge in his jeans.  
  
As Spike and Angel started to head towards Buffy's table, Drusilla stopped Spike. Buffy saw this and frowned. Her frown only deepened as she saw that Spike seemed happy to be talking to the obnoxious brunette.  
  
Angel didn't stop in his way towards Buffy. He couldn't be happier that Spike had been distracted. As he came up to the table he was introduced to Willow, Tara, Cordelia, Oz, Devon, Xander and Anya. He greeted them and asked if anyone wanted anything from the bar. He went over and bought a tray of tequila shots, as well as the drinks the gang had ordered.  
  
Upon returning to the table, he received appreciative cheers from the guys and scared looks from the girls. He sat down next to Buffy to start up a conversation.  
  
"What Buffy, you don't like tequila?", Angel asked. "It's not so much me not like, more like me petrified at what happened last time I drank it" Buffy replied, all the girls nodded their agreement.  
  
"What happened?", Spike had joined in on the conversation liberated from Drusilla for the moment. "Oh, hi Spike say hello to Xander, Devon and Oz. You met the girls earlier right?", Buffy said silently praying the previous topic be left alone. Spike said his hello's to the group, but wasn't about to let Buffy off the hook?  
  
"Now where was I? Oh yeah. What happened the last time you drank tequila, pet?", Spike asked a trademark smirk on his lips, his scarred eyebrow shooting up in anticipation. "I really, really don't see us needing to mention that. Right girls?", the blonde responded looking at the other girls for conformation. They all nodded ferociously.  
  
"Oh I think I might help out, Buff", Xander announced with an evil grin that earned him panicked glares from all the girls. " You see Spike, last time we decided to have a shot race here at The Bronze us guys got ourselves our very own show, not so private though, since the whole club started watching. You see the alcohol level became a bit too much for the girls and they started making out with each other. Not just Tara and Willow, it went all around. They then decided to put in a little table dancing in the mix just for the fun of it. A very sensual dance I might add. I managed to stop Anya right before she started taking her clothes off." Xander's little tale had all the guys nearly writhing with laughter. The girls scowled at Xander and Anya added; "Well if you had given me orgasms earlier maybe none of it would have happened. I wouldn't feel the need to expose myself if I was satisfied."  
  
Angel and Spike just stared shocked at the blunt blonde. "Get used to it. She's very sharing when it comes to her love life", Buffy explained to them.  
  
"We got to head off and prepare for our set" Devon announced. "See you after?", Oz asked placing a kiss on his girlfriend's lips. "We'll be right here, waiting", Cordelia replied.  
  
While the gang listened to the concert, the girl's were dared into drinking the tequilas anyway, and soon they found themselves giddy. When the set finished and Devon and Oz came back to the table, it took him one look at Cordelia to realize what had been going on. He raised an eyebrow at her and shook his head at her bubbly behavior.  
  
"Feeling okay ladies?", Oz asked. "Peachy", Buffy replied in-between giggles. This earned giggles from all the girls. The guys shared an amused look caused by their behavior. "Looks like we'll be looking for a new lead guitar again. Chris is leaving for L.A.", Devon announced. "Man that's a bummer. That means you can't play Saturday in two weeks. There's no way you can find a replacement by then.", Xander sympathized.  
  
"I play guitar. I mean I'm no bleedin' Hendrix, but I think I can manage or even improve Chris' riffs", Spike said suggestively, a tint of hope in his voice. "Great, man! If you're interested we're rehearsing at our place Tuesday?", Devon replied eager to find a replacement soon. "I'm interested", Spike answered with a satisfied grin. "Cool", Oz added  
  
Spike rose from his seat to get himself another beer. At the bar, he quickly found himself in conversation with Drusilla again. Buffy noticed this and wondered what kind of games she was up to. "Anybody wanna dance?", Buffy asked taking off her jacket to reveal a backless crimson red top.  
  
Angel, Anya, Xander, Tara and Willow followed Buffy onto the dance floor. The DJ was playing some RnB song and the girls quickly found a rhythm to the song. Buffy spotted, Drusilla touching Spike as she talked to him, in the corner of her eye. It did NOT make her happy. She started moving her hips sensually to the music, while holding her hands over her head, trying to let the music fill her and take her mind off the couple.  
  
Spike was intrigued by the dark-haired, woman, standing in front of him. Sure she seemed like a spoiled brat, but she was beautiful. When he glanced over at the dance floor, he saw Buffy dancing very seductively in front of Angel. She was absolutely beautiful the top she had chosen to reveal now, hugging her, revealing the shape of her perky breasts, her hips swaying to the music like that was all she had done her entire life. It led him to picture how she moved while in bed. As Angel started closing in or her, their hips started swaying together. Spike watched jealously. Drusilla noticed  
  
"Are you even paying attention to me?", Drusilla asked trying to hide the emotion in her voice. Spike then decided he'd lost Buffy to Angel and concluded his second choice would do.  
  
"Sorry, luv. I reckon I zoned out for a bit", Spike replied putting on his most charming smile. Drusilla smiled happily back, accepting his apology. Then she did something Spike never anticipated. She kissed him. Not just a peck on his lips, but a wet, demanding, passionate, tongue battling kiss. What surprised him even more was that he found himself responding with equal, bruising force. 'Cor, it's been so long' his subconscious mind excused. As he shut his eyes close, her hair turned sun kissed blonde and eyes the most twinkling blue green and her features became Buffy's.  
  
Meanwhile on the dancefloor, Buffy started to feel comfortable with the feel of the hot body pressed up against her. She imagined it was Spike grinding his erection against her back, only to have the image shattered as she realized the height of the man behind her was all wrong.  
  
She turned around looking into brown eyes when all she wanted to see was blue. Angel surprised her by leaning down to her and gently kissing her, mouth open, his tongue sliding over her lips to plead entry. Buffy saw Spike making out with Drusilla, felt her heart break and gave into Angel opening her mouth. 'This is all wrong! I only met this guy yesterday! And he's not what I want!', her subconscious mind screamed.  
  
A few seconds passed before she managed to writhe her way out of his grip. She couldn't look into his eyes so she stared at his chest. "I have to..", her voice trailed off, before she left the dance floor, heading towards the restrooms in a hurry. Angel looked confused. He was just about to run after her, when Willow stopped him, grabbing his arm.  
  
"I'll go. And look, she just got out of a long relationship, so take it slow with her. Ask her out for a date. I'm sure she'll come around", the redhead said giving him a supportive smile. Angel just nodded and let her pass.  
  
On her way towards the restrooms, Willow saw Drusilla and Spike and figured out the real reason as to what had upset her best friend. She went into the restroom and saw that for once all the stalls except one was empty.  
  
"Buffy! You in here?", she called out and got a sniffle in response. "Buffy, come out and we'll talk", Willow pleaded. The stall opened to reveal a red eyed Buffy. "I hate it when I get this emotional. I always get this emotional when I drink", Buffy said with a touch of anger at herself.  
  
" I know sweetie so do I. Wanna talk about it?", Willow inquired. "It's just so frustrating. Everything is moving way to fast. I mean I only met the guy yesterday.", Buffy replied. "Is that all that's bothering you?", Willow asked with a voice of sympathy. "Yes.. Well no, I just saw Spike kissing Dru and tell you what.. SO not a pretty picture. I mean what does he see in her?" Buffy answered.  
  
"I know what you mean. I saw them too. Look I'm sure he'll wake up tomorrow and realize what a coldhearted bitch she really is. Either that, or one of these days. But Buffy, which one is it you really like? You've been kinda sending mixed signals all night.", Willow asked tentatively. "I don't know Willow. I mean I don't really know either of them, but something tells me if I decide to like Angel, I'll be setting myself up to a round of Riley 2. Spike isn't like any man I've ever met. He's straightforward, charming and really, really hot. His eyes are full of fire yet the eeriest calm blue eyes I've ever seen." Buffy said dabbing her eyes with a tissue soaked in cold water to reduce the puffiness.  
  
"I think you have you're answer right there. What do you say we head back to our place? We can have a sleepover and we can drive you home in the morning. Sound good?" Willow asked gently rubbing her friend's shoulder. "Sound good", Buffy said moving towards the door where she bumped into Harmony Kendall  
  
The blonde ex cheerleader smiled in a way letting Buffy and Willow know she had heard everything. She turned on her heel, heading towards Drusilla, dragging her away from Spike to let her know of the gossip she just overheard.  
  
Buffy and Willow headed to their table to say their goodbyes. Buffy gently placed a kiss on Angel's cheek. "Call you tomorrow. Okay?", Angel asked. "Sure. Sound good" Buffy responded giving him a small smile. Buffy and Willow left, not bothering to look up Spike.  
  
Angel found Spike and grinned. "Looks like we've both been busy tonight he said", gesturing to Drusilla standing a few feet away talking to Harmony. "What do ya mean, mate?" Spike asked cocking an eyebrow. "I mean you kissing that brunette over there, me making out with Buffy", Angel answered a smug look on his face. He failed to notice the colour draining from Spike's face.  
  
Spike got up and walked over to Drusilla. "Sorry, luv. But I'm calling it a night. You're in the book right?" Spike asked, not wanting to delay things by her trying to find some way to give him her phone number. "Yes, so when should I expect your call?", Drusilla asked a smile on her lips caused by what Harmony had just told her.  
  
"Dunno, luv, but I'll give you a ring", he didn't even give her a chance to speak back, as he left, with Angel in his heels. When he got home he started swearing at himself. 'How is it even remotely possible for a bloke to be this stupid. Bleedin idiot I am. If I did have a chance with her before, I've screwed it up for sure now.' 


	5. Schooldays

Chapter 5 Schooldays  
  
"Buf-fy, waky waky.", an annoyingly awake voice, singsonged, way to close to Buffy's ears. "Umf" and a pillow thrown far, far of Buffy's target was all Willow got for response, trying to wake a very hung over and very cranky Buffy.  
  
"Now is that a way for anyone to treat their best friend?", Willow asked her voice even perkier. Willow was awarded with a slight lift of the head, a very bloodshot eye barely open to glare.  
  
"Aww not feeling good? Maybe I should go get you some tequila?", Willow asked an evil grin showing in her face "Stop torturing the girl would you?", Tara said, taking pity on Buffy since she had gotten the same treatment minutes earlier.  
  
"And why are you so chipper anyway? Can't you have a hang over like a normal person would?" Anya grumpily decided to chime inn, one hand placed at her throbbing head the other clasping a cup of freshly brewed coffee.  
  
The smell of the brew reached Buffy's nose and calmed the urge to throw up she had at the mentioning of tequila. She carefully opened her eyes to once again curse electricity in form of light.  
  
"Oh God! I kissed Angel last night!", Buffy shrieked as the memories of the past evening came flooding in.  
  
"Yes, he looked ready to give you many orgasms", Anya replied in her classic, straightforward manner.  
  
Buffy just sighed in frustration and Willow gave her a sympathetic look, while handing her a cup of coffee. When Xander came out of Anya's room he received a dagger look from Buffy.  
  
" 's all your fault", Buffy accused Xander, referring to that he was the one that had tricked her into shotting the tequilas.  
  
"Nah. Don't think so. You do have a will of your own, don't you Buffy? Besides is that a way to treat your bestest friend who's also giving you your ride home?", he grinned at her.  
  
After saying her goodbyes, Buffy was given a lift home and went up the stairs and into her bedroom. She stopped only once in the kitchen, to give her family a look that said she would not wish their company this day and to grab a mug of water to take to her room.  
  
She spent the rest of her day wallowing in self-pity beneath the covers of her bed, dreading the day after, as she knew she would have to face Angel, Dru and Spike on campus. They all shared the same class in philosophy and of course Drusilla would be there at diving practice to torture Buffy like she always did.  
  
When Monday morning came, Spike and Angel agreed to take Spike's car to school. Spike agreed on Jenny's request to give Connor, Dawn and Buffy a ride as well. He noticed the dreamy look on Angel's face at the prospect of seeing Buffy again. Spike felt his heart ache at remembering Angel had told him they'd kissed  
  
Buffy walked over to the Giles-Calendar driveway, met Spike and Angel, she said her 'hellos' and purposely avoided looking at either of them. She couldn't feel more uncomfortable. She then continued to do what no woman should ever even think of doing. Insult a man's pride  
  
"That's our mode of transportation?", she cried disbelievingly, gesturing to the black DeSoto in front of her. "Is that old wreck even safe?", Buffy continued to mock Spike's car.  
  
Spike's jaw first dropped in shock of Buffy's statement, then clenched in anger. "If the lady disapproves, why doesn't she place her pretty little arse and stuck up nose, in her own car and drive herself to school?", Spike spat angrily  
  
"Oh I would, but Buffy and cars. not of the mixy. So I guess this will do", Buffy replied in a light tone, while getting in the backseat with Dawn and Connor.  
  
"This will do", Spike huffed incredulously, repeating her words while getting in the driver's seat and starting up the car.  
  
When Dawn and Connor got out of the car at Sunnydale High school, an awkward silence fell between the two of them.  
  
"So.." ,Dawn tried a tension reliever.  
  
"So..", Connor too failed at starting up a conversation. He just stared admiringly at Dawn  
  
"So did Angel tell you anything about what went down on Saturday? My sister's been in a really crappy mood." Dawn asked.  
  
"Spike's been pretty blue and Angel's been on cloud nine, so from that I guessed that Angel got a little bit luckier with Buffy than Spike, but no, he hasn't told me anything", Connor replied relieved that they had found a conversation topic.  
  
"But that doesn't make any sense. If Angel made a move Buffy would have been thrilled. Maybe he made a pass at some other girl?", Dawn sounded confused  
  
"Oh I don't think so. You didn't see the dreamy look he got, when Mom mentioned Buffy this morning", Connor objected, while loving the feel of Dawn's hand accidentally brushing his own, as they passed through the doors of the school.  
  
"Oh.. Oh!", Realization hit Dawn as all the evidence gathered in her mind. Buffy's crappy mood, Buffy not coming to the phone when Angel called last night, Buffy's smart ass remarks to Spike, Buffy's disappointed look, when she had told her about Spike's habit of coming onto Angel's love interrests. Something had happened between Buffy and Angel all right. The problem was, she was into Spike. She was definitely going to speak to Buffy and Spike. Dawn got a smug all-knowing look in her face.  
  
"What? You just got that look, like the cat that ate the canary", Connor chuckled at the rapid changing facial expressions Dawn were making.  
  
"Umm. I'll tell you as soon as I've checked with my sources. Anyway here's the principal's office. Go in and you'll get your schedule and stuff. I'll wait here. I have to warn you though, principal Snyder is an evil, nazi gnome from hell, but you'll probably survive your first encounter", Dawn said and failed to notice the small man coming up from behind.  
  
"Miss Summers! That remark just earned you a visit to detention this afternoon. And you must be Mr. Calendar, already choosing the wrong people to socialize with. Really, I'm disappointed", Principal Snyder sneered and gestured for Connor to follow him into his office.  
  
"I see what you mean about the nazi part, he's freakin' Hitler." Connor whispered to Dawn. Dawn's eyes went wide, and she shook her head ferociously, trying to stop Connor from talking, knowing all to well that the principal could hear a pin drop anytime.  
  
"And that statement earned you a date with Miss Summers and the detention monitor this afternoon", Snyder smiled evilly to them both.  
  
After getting Connor's schedule they headed separate ways. They didn't share classes until fifth period. Dawn told him to meet her in the cafeteria at lunch. When they met up at lunch he was introduced to her friends, who were gathered at one of the cafeteria's best tables.  
  
" Connor. This is Janice, Evan, Amy, RJ, Nicole, Brad, Cathy, Justin and Matt. Everybody, this is Connor Calendar" Dawn said while pointing at her friends as their names were mentioned.  
  
The group all said their 'his' and the girl named Cathy decided to add; "Boy, you're so fine you can be on my calendar any day!" Connor's face flushed almost maroon. Dawn couldn't help but think he looked incredibly cute like that. 'Cute, nothing more' her conscious mind insisted to her uncooperative subconscious mind who insisted on portraying Connor Calendar in boxers on her very own calendar  
  
" Forgot to tell you, Cathy is the comedian of the group, who's been listening to way too many Missy E albums", Dawn said  
  
"Dawnie! We soo need to talk!", Janice squealed, while dragging off her friend to the ladies room, to discuss the handsome newcomer.  
  
"She's got you good, hasn't she?", Evan asked Connor who was staring after the girls, his eyes full of desire.  
  
"Huh?", Connor replied, brought back to reality.  
  
"I'm talking about Dawn. She's got you all wound up like I was. Don't worry about it man. Sooner or later you come to terms with the fact that if you want to get into her date book, you have to be in college and preferably picked a major." Evan said to Connor, as Connor looked disappointed hearing this information.  
  
Connor was disappointed, but not really disencouraged. Sure Dawn Summers might be a hard nut to crack, but he was eventually going to crack her. He had seen the way she had been stealing glances at him, when they got out of the car.  
  
In the ladies room, Janice was going on and on about how gorgeous Connor looked, while Dawn rolled her eyes.  
  
"Can I have him?", Janice begged like he was some new toy she wanted to play with.  
  
"Um, Sure", Dawn skeptically replied, not really sure she liked the idea. Connor was kind of gorgeous, Janice had reminded her, but Dawn was into older guys, right? It was kind of unfair to hog him, if she really wasn't sure.  
  
They came back to the table, in the cafeteria and Janice was on Connor in a flash. Flirting with him shamelessly. 'Disgusting much?', Dawn thought as Janice was laughing innocently at everything Connor said, pouted her lips and fluttered her eyelashes, like there was no tomorrow.  
  
In fifth and sixth period, Janice and Connor were passing notes, while Dawn were watching with a tint of jealousy. Hadn't Spike said Connor was interested in her? When Connor and Dawn sat in the detention room and the monitor left to get some paper they could write their assignments on, Dawn decided to get some answers to what was going on.  
  
"So you like Janice?", Dawn asked, failing to hide her little green-eyed monster.  
  
"She's nice, yes, why? Jealous?", Connor couldn't help himself but chuckle.  
  
"I didn't peg, you for the kind, that fell for her manipulating ways", Dawn answered coldly.  
  
"I like my girls a little harder to get. She doesn't compare to this other girl I know", Connor said, while staring into Dawn's eyes. Letting her know exactly who this other girl was. Dawn blushed. The monitor came back and they were no longer allowed to talk, but that didn't keep them from flirting with their eyes.  
  
******************************  
  
At UC Sunnydale, things were going ok in Buffy's opinion. She had survived the classes sitting in-between Willow and Angel trying to pay attention, as the professor went on and on about the similarities and differences, in the philosophy of Aristotle and Augustin. She didn't really feel comfortable, but it helped that Angel hadn't mentioned Saturday's events.  
  
Drusilla on the other hand was enjoying her self. Harmony had told her about Buffy confessing her crush on Spike, and Drusilla had new ammo in her purpose of making Buffy's life miserable. The reason why, this was on Dru's agenda, dated back to the high school prom.  
  
Parker was a shoe in for prom king. Buffy was dating Parker and a candidate for prom queen. Drusilla decided she would not have any of that happening and broke up Parker and Buffy, by seducing him into sleeping with her. She succeeded, however her little trick didn't earn her any brownie points with the school crowd.  
  
The prom queen title was voted a tie between Buffy and Cordelia, while Oz got the title of prom king. 'Oz! That little, band playing, green haired freak? Prom king?', Drusilla had thought. Oz hadn't liked the idea very much either. He didn't like popularity contests and hated the fact, that his buddies would probably tease him with this forever.  
  
Presently, Drusilla was spending her time trying to make Buffy's life miserable by seducing Spike, in front of Buffy's face. She was constantly whispering little things in his ear, making him smile politely at her comments.  
  
Spike was beginning to feel a bit fed up over the brunette's endless come ons. 'What? The bint didn't catch on when I didn't call her? Or when I slapped away her hand on my knee? How can she be so dense?' His mother had taught him manners, so he was smiling politely at whatever it was she was saying.  
  
After class ended Buffy raced out with Willow, eager to get away from the tension Angel had brought on and meet up with the rest of the gang at one of the campus' cafeterias. Spike was trying to flee from Drusilla's attention. Both Buffy and Spike were stopped.  
  
Angel grabbed a hold of Buffy's arm and she felt forced to turn around and face him. "What's the rush Buffy?", Angel asked her. "Umm. Nothing. Just want to get a good table at the cafeteria.", she lied.  
  
"Buffy, I was wondering, if you might be interested in going on a date with me, this Friday?", he asked, his voice revealing he had no fear she could refuse. Buffy's eyes darted a few feet down the hall to see Spike caught up by Drusilla. 'I clearly don't have a chance there. I have no doubt she's already told him about my little Saturday bathroom rant. I'm sure they've had swell times laughing over it too. What the heck! One date couldn't possible hurt.', Buffy thought while cringing inside at the mental image of them  
  
"Sure", she said. Her voice's sadness went unnoticed with Angel.  
  
"Great, I can pick you up at 7. Sound good? Oh and wear something nice, I want you to look good", he answered smugly.  
  
Willow, Buffy and Angel headed over to the cafeteria, to find the rest of their friends gathered at the usual table. Buffy caught sight of Riley seated with them, talking to Xander. Their eyes locked for a few moments before Riley noticed the broad shouldered, dark-haired man standing beside Buffy, who had just placed an arm around Buffy's waist. Riley's eyes flashed angrily before he stood up to greet the newcomer.  
  
Buffy stood there shocked frozen, first at Angel's bold and bad timed move, then at the look Riley had gotten in his eyes. She had never seen such an angry look in Riley's eyes ever before and it scared her. Her mind drifted back to what the girls had told her the last Saturday, and she found herself wondering if she maybe had a reason to be scared.  
  
Angel took the hand he was offered from Riley before introducing himself. "I'm Angel. I just transferred from LA. Live across the street from Buffy."  
  
"I'm Riley, Buffy's ex.", the dark blonde answered pressuring Angel's hand for all he was worth. They both huffed their chests, their knuckles became white from the pressure they were adding and for a moment they looked like lions ready to pounce on each other. Buffy stared disbelievingly as the air became thick with testosterone.  
  
Spike chose that moment to come up to the group. He snickered lightly at the scene the two poofters were portraying. "Oy Peaches, ready to blow the house down yet?", he quipped.  
  
The referral to the 'three little pigs' tale had everyone but Buffy, Angel and Riley trying to hide their smile. Angel and Riley let go, before Angel sat down protectively at Buffy's side. Determined to rub Riley's wounds, Angel asked Buffy where she wanted to go for their date, with a slight emphasis on the word date.  
  
At this Spike's heart sunk and he took on a truly heart broken look. Willow saw this and locked her eyes with him, slowly shaking her head to him. Spike drew his eyebrows quizzically at the redhead, wondering what she was implying. He never got a chance to ask her, as the group dispersed.  
  
Buffy couldn't be more relieved over getting away from Angel and Riley. This lunch had proven exactly how much alike the two of them were. She cursed herself for agreeing to go out with Angel. He was beginning to get to her nerves, with his arrogant ways. 'I want you to look good' what was that all about?  
  
Buffy was on her way to diving practice, where torture by Drusilla was imminent. Sure enough she found Drusilla, immediately upon entering, glaring at her, an evil smile tugged at her lips, while whispering to some of her friends.  
  
After warming up with a couple of laps in the campus pool, Buffy did three perfect dives. Her concentration was cut short when she was about to do the most difficult one; a 720° back flip with a screw. She saw Spike coming in to the arena. She noticed he didn't carry himself with the same confidence she had seen him with before. In fact he looked sort of shy and sad.  
  
When Spike had found himself a quiet spot to read and opened his bag, he had found Drusilla's appointment book. He saw she would be diving at this time. He groaned, decided she probably needed it and left to give it to her despite the little devil on his right shoulder telling him; 'Screw that!'  
  
What he did not realize was that was Dru's very intention, when she 'accidentally' left it in his bag. She was very good at manipulating. When Spike came in to the arena, the first thing he noticed was Buffy in her bathing suit. If possible she looked even more beautiful than he ever imagined. Her beautiful, tanned, long legs, called attention to by the cut of her suit. He gasped as he saw her hard nipples' outlined in the thin fabric. He flinched when he heard an annoyingly familiar British voice call his name.  
  
Buffy watched as Drusilla ran up to Spike and was handed something from him. Her anger feeding her determination, she dove off doing the perfect dive. When practice was over she went to shower and change and was forced to listen to Dru talk about Spike to her friends.  
  
" Spike is so sweet. He came all the way here just to give me my appointment book. He has all these adorable little nicknames for me. Why Buffy? You live across the street from him, I'm sure you've sneaked a peak at his body and can confirm just how hot it is? I'll tell you though, it is even better up close.", Drusilla said, leading Buffy to believe she had actually been that close. Drusilla was enjoying the look on the blonde's face way too much.  
  
Buffy didn't dignify Drusilla's comments with a response. She finished up and began her walk back home. It had turned dark outside and Buffy hurried not really enjoying herself, alone after dark. She had heard plenty of stories about men that stalked and raped students. Halfway home, she felt the hairs in the back of her neck rise, as she got the feeling she was being followed. For a second she thought she even heard steps. Buffy turned around tentatively only to see no one in the shadowy ally she was currently in.  
  
"Hello!", she called out to the shadows, the only response she got was a cat jumping out of a garbage can. It made her jump and hiss; "Stupid cat!" She shrugged the feeling off and hurried her way back home. 


	6. Trouble

A/N: THIS IS REALLY AN NC-17 For the NC-17 version go to www.geocities.com/nikitas_fic/Newworld6.html  
  
Below is the R rated version. I'm not really good with ratings, so to be sure I put the original version on my web site. Nothing to smutty, just some more tension. *grins* Enjoy! Merry X-mas and huge thanks for all the feedback I'm getting.  
  
  
  
Chapter 6 Trouble  
  
Monday nights in the Summers' residence consisted of late dinners, as Buffy got home late from diving practice. This Monday was not any different in that manner. Hank noticed however that something was different in his eldest daughter's behavior. She seemed tense.  
  
When Buffy came in the back door, she had been out of breath like she had been running. She had immediately proceeded to the cabinet, to retrieve a glass and pour herself some orange juice. Dawn had come up from behind and exclaimed in her usual teen eagerness; "You and I, have GOT to talk!"  
  
Buffy was so startled the glass she was shakily clutching, dropped to the tile floor and shattered in a thousand pieces. Her family stared worriedly at her. She went to clean it up, but in her shaky eagerness, she cut herself badly on the broken glass.  
  
"Buffy? Pumpkin? What's the matter?", Hank asked her.  
  
"I- I'm okay. It's just- just a small cut" she stuttered out while holding up her bleeding finger to her mouth, sucking at it to relieve the pain.  
  
"But Buffy? You're shaking. What has happened?", Joyce asked her brows drawing together in worry.  
  
"I think someone was following me.", she managed to calm a bit as her father pulled her into a hug.  
  
"What do you mean? Did you see anyone?", Joyce asked in a gentle voice to soothe her daughter, while sharing a worried look with Hank, who was still clutching Buffy tight.  
  
"No", Buffy replied softly.  
  
"That's it! I do not want my girls, going out alone at nighttime any more. Come next Monday your mother, or me will pick you up after the practice. Wherever you do go, I want you to be accompanied by friends", Hank said while placing a kiss on to Buffy's head, and pulling Dawn in for a crushing hug as well.  
  
Joyce looked on with a suspicion, that all this worry didn't came from Buffy's state alone. She didn't know about the letters Hank had been receiving the last week, warning him not to take work from Rupert Giles, or his family might get hurt. The letters were anonymous, but Wesley Wyndham- Price might as well have signed them.  
  
Wesley Wyndham-Price was the only one who had anything to gain from stopping Rupert Giles starting up in Sunnydale. Wesley had invested a considerable amount of money in a security company. Competition was not welcomed. Hank was torn in this matter. He knew very well that it was no use going to police, seeing that they practically were owned by Wesley. On the other hand Wesley had made sure Hank's business was slow nowadays. He really needed this deal with Mr. Giles.  
  
Dawn picked up on the mood and decided to have her little talk with Buffy about Spike and Angel at a later time. Soon dinner was ready and the family sat down to eat. After dinner, Joyce ordered Dawn to take out the trash.  
  
Dawn first scrunched her nose and was about to argue, when she remembered the detention slip she hadn't shown her mother yet. It was best to please her mother, before working up her courage to actually show it to her mother. She threw the trash out and was about to go inside again, when she picked up on the most soothing voice she'd ever heard, accompanied by the gentle sound of an acoustic guitar.  
  
" She's blood, flesh and bone. No tucks or silicone. She's touch, smell, sight, taste and sound."  
  
Dawn acknowledged that the singing and music, came from across the street and felt herself drawn to it.  
  
"But somehow I can't believe that anything should happen. I know where I belong and nothing's gonna happen", the voice softly sang. Dawn came into the Giles-Calendar front yard and soundlessly followed the music.  
  
"Cause she's so high, high above me. She's so lovely. She's so high, like Cleopatra, Joan of Arc or Aphrodite. She's so high, high above me.", the voice continued. Dawn froze as she looked up at the second floor window.  
  
"First class and fancy free. She's high society. She's got the best of everything. What could a guy like me ever really offer? She's perfect as she can be, why should I even bother", Spike stopped his singing as he noticed Dawn down at the ground.  
  
"Please don't stop! That was beautiful.", the brunette pleaded with him, her eyes shining in admiration.  
  
"Bit? What are you doing here?", he asked, his voice low, a little embarrassed that he had been caught in his very emotional state and had chosen a Tal Bachman song to express his feelings. The lyrics perfectly reflecting his emotions towards Buffy.  
  
Dawn remembered her earlier realization and decided to use the lyrics to his song to express herself, spoke up; "You should bother, Spike. She's starting to fall for you."  
  
He snorted; "Mind telling me why she's dating my bloody stepbrother, the poofter?" he harshly let out, hurt evident in his voice.  
  
"Um she hasn't really said anything, but it all kinda adds up. I mean she was really cranky yesterday and judging by what Connor told me about your and Angel's moods, I gathered that something had happened between her and Angel, but she had wanted something to happen between the two of you. And as for her not believing you're interested.." She paused hesitantly before continuing "Imightavesomethingtodowiththat", she winced, half expecting he would explode.  
  
"What was that, Bit?", he asked, not being able to make sense of her last statement.  
  
Dawn began pacing at the ground below him wondering how she should put her words, then mentally slapping herself for pacing. This was slowly becoming a habit in front of Spike.  
  
"I might have let it slip by, that you had a habit of coming on to Angel's interests, just to tick him off", she said and looked up at him, pleading he could forgive her. Spike groaned and finally let out a frustrated laugh.  
  
"Bit, you may have clattered things up a tinsy bit, but in the end I think I made the death blow", Spike said and guiltily avoided looking into the blue eyes of his one desire's sister.  
  
"What did you do? Please tell me you didn't hit on another girl?", Dawn groaned.  
  
Spike cringed before answering. "Drusilla"  
  
"Wow Spike. Making a pass to my sister's arch nemesis. Real smooth.", Dawn replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.  
  
"I sort of gathered they weren't the best of chums. Anyway it's too late now. Damage done and so 'n so.", Spike said putting on a mask of masculine, non emotional strength.  
  
"I don't think so Spike. I think there is hope for the two of you yet. Give me some time and I'll snoop around. I'll even try to make her open up her eyes, to see what a great guy she's missing. I'll give you a daily report? In exchange, I was kinda hoping you could do me a favor..", now it was Dawn's turn again to stare uncomfortably at the ground. "I was wondering if you could, you know, maybe help me out with Connor?" A little nervous smile stained her lips, while her eyes glowed in hope.  
  
Spike couldn't help himself smiling. Dawn looked adorable. "I don't think you'll need much help. He hasn't stopped yapping about you all day.", Spike gave her an earnest smile. She beamed in response. "I'm sorry to tell you he's been grounded, because he managed to get himself into trouble, the first day. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you? I'm sure I can convince Jenny to release him this weekend, to attend a little rendez- vous with a certain brunette." Spike smirked at Dawn.  
  
Dawn suddenly remembered she probably would be grounded too, when her mom found the detention slip. Her smile turned into a frown at the realization and panic quickly shone over her features. Spike looked at her questioningly, before he heard a very angry Joyce calling for her daughter.  
  
"Ooops! I'm so grounded. Talk later", Dawn hastily said, before running back to her house and face her mother. Dawn hadn't told Spike about Buffy's alleged stalker, thinking her sister was just being paranoid.  
  
Spike remained perched on his windowsill. Taking deep drags from his cigarette a sinful smile at his lips, his eyes squinting in amusement. His talk with Dawn, had given him new confidence. He was contemplating just how he was going to win Buffy over. Having her, body and soul, would of course be the first prize. There were two very appreciated bonuses in capturing her heart. Make Angel miserable and brush off Drusilla in the best possible way.  
  
He decided, it was time to bring out the big guns, the one thing that had always helped him with girls. No more Mr. nice guy. Of course he would never really hurt Buffy, just intentionally doing everything he possibly could muster, to get on her nerves. For some reason, he believed that Buffy was tired of boring poofters like Angel and Riley. Always charming her, prancing after her, following her every whim.  
  
It was time to bring out 'the big bad'.  
  
His sardonic grin softened as he saw Buffy across the street in her room. He drew breath sharply as he saw what she was doing. She was getting ready for bed. Slowly stripping away her clothes. He closed his eyes for a moment, to try and save the image of her in the back of his mind.  
  
He stared at her in complete awe as one garment after another was removed. Suddenly he was abruptly interrupted as he felt himself being yanked back inside the window. He groaned in pain as his back hit the hardwood floor.  
  
"What the hell are you doing!", Angel roared out on Spike. Spike stood up and just gave Angel a mischievous grin.  
  
"Taking a smoke. What exactly got you all wound up this time dear brother? Can't a man have his privacy?", Spike snickered.  
  
"I saw you! You were gawking at my girl!", Angel spat.  
  
Spike chuckled in response before answering. "She's not exactly your girl is she? I know for a fact she would choose me over you anytime. I can giver 'er pleasures." Spike was enjoying torturing Angel so much he never saw the fist coming for his jaw. He stumbled backwards clutching his jaw in disbelief as his little speech, was cut off short. Spike managed to block Angel's second blow and retaliated by connecting his fist to Angel's nose closely followed by a blow to his gut.  
  
Angel folded up in pain, clutching his bleeding nose and gut. Spike stood, dabbing away the blood seeping out of the broken skin on his jaw. Giles arrived taking in this view disbelievingly, wondering when these two overgrown boys would learn to be civilized with each other.  
  
It was however the first time they had actually gotten into a physical fight, although it was 'a long time coming'. Giles found himself surprised and slightly proud that his son was the one left standing. He had always imagined that the taller and bigger built Angel, would have hit Spike into a bloody pulp when this time would come. His notion had just been disproved.  
  
Giles sent Angel out of the room and scolded his son, before leaving to get back to his wife. He told Jenny what had happened and she sighed frustrated, before drawing the conversation back to their previous topic.  
  
"So, this Wesley Wyndham-Price was sort of your rival, back when you attended LSE? And now he's here in Sunnydale?" Jenny said summing up what they had talked about earlier.  
  
"Yes, apparently he's an investor, and has invested quite a lot of money in another security company. It seems he's scaring off everyone I've tried to hire. The only people who haven't turned down my offer are Hank Summers and Jason Williams, the construction company owner. Mr. Williams explained Wesley's position in all this, in our meeting today. He also told me Wesley practically owned this town. I can't wait to start up business, maybe even start in a new branch, succeed and wipe any trace of a smile off of Wesley's face", Giles explained as a bitter but almost wicked smile was at his lips  
  
He really couldn't wait. He had wanted to get back at Wesley for so many years. In their days at London School of Economics they had their heart set on the same girl. Emma, Spike's mother, who worked as a bar maid, in a pub close to the school. Giles and Wesley fell in love with her, the minute they first laid their eyes on her. Long story short, Giles got the girl, Wesley vowed revenge.  
  
Wesley got his revenge, by ruining Giles name, as soon as they left school. Giles ill repute caused him not to get any better jobs than accounting, even though he had a master in business and administration. When he came to the US, he had a fresh start and soon had success. Giles was really looking forward to show how successful he had become, in spite of Wesley's attempts to ruin his life. He felt his heart twinge a bit, regretting Emma wasn't there to witness it anymore.  
  
Jenny offered him a supportive smile and a hug, letting him know she understood. After all there hadn't been much closure with her and her previous husband either. He had been killed by a mugger. What brought Jenny and Giles even closer, loving each other even more. was the fact that they both had lost their loved ones and understood exactly how to fill the void in each others lives.  
  
A few streets away, still in the rich neighborhood, in a huge mansion, Wesley Wyndham- Price sat contemplating. He was contemplating how he was going to convince the architect Hank Summers and the constructor Jason Williams to pull out of working with Rupert Giles. He could not allow that man succeeding in HIS town. He was just about to call his lawyer and occasional lover, Lilah Morgan, to see if she had any suggestions, maybe some fictive dirt on Hank and Jason.  
  
Wesley's daughter, Drusilla interrupted him as she came into his study.  
  
"There's my princess. How has your day been? Is there something I can do for you?", Wesley greeted her while pulling out his wallet. Money was the usual cause as to why she came. Drusilla smiled as she saw what her father was doing. Her father knew her so well.  
  
"Daddy, I want to go to this boutique tomorrow. I saw this beautiful designer dress, which I absolutely have to have. I was thinking I could wear it to dinner this Friday. Tell cook to prepare something special. We're having company", Drusilla said, flashing her best, sweet smile. She silently pondered if maybe it had been wise to ask Spike first, but really, how could he possibly refuse her?  
  
"Company? Really? Well who is the lucky man that captured my princess' interest?", Wesley asked, as he assumed all this fuzz could only possibly be about some boy.  
  
"He's British, just moved to Sunnydale. His name is William Giles", Drusilla answered proudly. At the name Wesley's features tensed in anger. Him. William. Emma and Rupert's lovechild, dating his little girl. Not bloody likely.  
  
He did not need a reminder of his failure, coming to his dinner table. Or maybe..? This would surely bother 'good old Ripper' when he found out. Maybe he could use this to his advantage. Find a new way to torment Giles. He would have to call Lilah. She was so good at coming up with wicked plans. He let out a laugh that would have chilled the blood of any normal person.  
  
Drusilla watched her father in confusion. "Daddy? What is wrong?", she asked.  
  
"Absolutely nothing princess. Can't wait to meet him", he answered.  
  
Drusilla wasn't anywhere near convinced. She shrugged it off as her father held out his platinum card to her. Everything forgotten, at the pending shopping spree. She took the card and left her father with a sly smile covering her lips. 


	7. Unrevealed

Chapter 7  
  
Tuesday morning, Buffy had criminal psychology and art history, after lunch. She had trouble deciding what exactly 'wittle Buffy' was suppose to be when she grew up. Her creative side screamed for her to be an artist, or maybe follow in her mother's steps and become a gallery owner. Her inquisitive and reach-out-to-others side liked the psychology.  
  
'One more semester. Then I'll choose', she told herself while walking with Dawn, over to the Giles-Calendar driveway. The sight that met her had her frown.  
  
"What happened to you?", Buffy asked, while taking in Angel's very bruised and almost purple nose. Her eyes traveled to Spike and she noticed his usually sharp jaw line was slightly swollen, the faintest violet shade on it. She watched quizzically back and forth from them, while they scowled.  
  
"Angry doorknob, I think", Connor answered chuckling, while giving Dawn a wink. Dawn blushed, his wink having a double meaning for her. Angel rolled his eyes and went over to Buffy and planted a kiss on her cheek, before telling her to get in the car.  
  
Spike grimaced at Angel, while Buffy scrunched her nose at Angel's behavior. She would have to find courage to call off their date. She did not like him ordering her around, or the way he would get physical around her. 'Too soon', she thought, even though she knew if it was a certain peroxide blonde, who did it, she wouldn't have minded at all.  
  
She got in the car and noticed Spike was watching her, in a way that made her really self-conscious. She gave him a look that asked 'what'. He answered by carefully darting his tongue out to lick his lips, staring a moment at hers before looking at her eyes again.  
  
Buffy's eyes refused to see into his again and stared out the window, in silence, the remaining ride to campus. Once on campus she bolted for her lecture hall, barely taking the time to thank for the ride. Spike trailed behind her. He had developing psychology for his first class and it was in the same building as her class.  
  
"What's the hurry, luv?", Spike asked coming up beside her.  
  
Buffy eyed him over and tried to calm the heat that rose in her, at the view of his tight blue t-shirt and faded jeans. "Want to get a good seat", she replied. Spike noticed how she had swallowed, when she looked him over and smiled, enjoying the effect he had on her. He was also taking his time admiring the way she looked in the form fitting, white capri pants and pink tank top. He let his eyes roam across her petite body, imagining how she would look naked this close.  
  
"Why do you keep looking at me like that?", Buffy asked in a slightly agitated voice. Images of him hot and heavy with Drusilla, were popping into her mind. He had no right to look at her like that, if he and Drusilla were as close as Dru had said they were.  
  
"When I see something I like, I look at it and if I still like it..", Spike leaned close to her, brushed a strand of her hair behind her hair, looked up to the sky, acting casual, before whispering in a low voice that sent tingles down Buffy's spine; "Then I take it."  
  
Spike brushed past her, with a very smug smirk on his face. Buffy was stunned for a few seconds, before Spike turned facing her, cocking his head to one side, smirk still on his lips as he bit his lower one.  
  
"Coming, pet?" Buffy's eyes widened. 'Is everything that escapes this man's lips sexual innuendo?' She shook her head and left for the lecture hall, him trailing behind her once more.  
  
When Buffy entered the auditorium, she spotted Riley in his usual seat. Buffy purposely sat as far away as she could. She was not ready to face Riley on her own yet. It was one thing to face him with the gang, because he was part of it. She couldn't expect Xander to brush off one of his best friends for her sake.  
  
Buffy took out the lecture schedule to check what was today's topic. Of course it had to be stalker profiles. 'How fitting. Great! Just great', Buffy thought, as she pulled out her note pad. Professor Reed came out and soon had everyone's attention.  
  
"What characterizes a stalker could be an immense need to be close, to achieve some closeness to a person the stalker considers unattainable. Or it could be a conscious way to get to know his or hers victim. The stalker could have already decided to kill the victim, or he could simply be so frustrated by the unattainability of the person he might kill him or her. I think we've all heard the line 'If I can't have you no one will' in movies and such.", the professor started her lecture with.  
  
Buffy shuddered. The professor made it sound like all stalk victims ended up dead and due to recent feelings, Buffy didn't like that idea. Buffy listened intently to the different kinds of stereotypical profiles for stalkers. As she listened to the professor go on about the victim profile she frowned. She didn't really fit any of them. Maybe the horror movies and her imagination, was finally getting the better of her. That's it. She was just imagining things. 'Silly girl', she chided herself.  
  
***********  
  
Cordelia had just finished her classes for the afternoon and was headed to meet up with her boyfriend, to steal some smooches, before meeting up with her philosophy study group. She spotted him sitting at a bench just outside her lecture hall.  
  
Oz sat on a black iron bench patiently waiting for his girl. He saw her exiting the doors and smiled as she glowed upon seeing him. He noticed a couple of jocks eyeing her over in want, and Oz actually grinned, when he thought how they would react, when she'd fling her arms around his neck.  
  
'Ah Priceless', he thought as Cordelia did even better. Cordelia actually straddled his lap and kissed him roughly, right in front of the now shocked football crew.  
  
"Miss me baby?", Oz asked, a smile in his eyes, but his other features their usual stoic manner. Cordelia climbed off his lap, suddenly very aware of what she had been doing, out in public and in daylight no less. She settled for him having an arm slung around her waist, her holding his hand.  
  
"In the way 'I can't wait for us to be alone again, so you can work that fabulous mouth of yours on me ', I'd have to say yes", Cordelia replied before asking, "I'm kinda seeing that happening later tonight. Don't you?"  
  
"Dingoes", he replied in his usual short manner, before quickly remembering his girl, had a thing for real conversational skill. "Rehearsal. That British guy, Spike was it? He's auditioning today." At Cordelia's pout he added, "That doesn't mean I won't be up for some TLC post band thing"  
  
Pout gone in favor of a smile on Cordelia's lips, she continued; "I'm actually meeting up with Spike in a few. Study group thingy for Philosophy. I can't believe I failed that course last semester. I mean, how was I supposed to know there was more than one Greek guy? Anyway, study group is me, Wills, Buffy, Spike, Angel and Riley! I so don't see that going well. Did you see Angel and Riley yesterday? Boy, did they look ready to rumble" Oz just nodded.  
  
A couple of smooches later they parted and Cordelia headed towards the spot on the lawn where she spotted the group. As expected, daggers of ice, were being thrown in the looks between Riley and Angel. Cordelia stared questioningly between Angel and Spike and found she was wondering, just how they had ended up bruised. She shrugged it off and joined them on the soft grass matt for a study session.  
  
Buffy felt truly awkward. In between fending off Angel's hands, the killer looks shared between him and Riley and Spike staring at her, she was just about ready to loose it, when Spike did something to drive her over the edge. He took off his t-shirt, to reveal his perfect, lean and toned muscles. Perfectly chiseled chest, and seemingly sculptured abs. Buffy's eyes widened and she tried to cover her gasp with a cough. Spike curled his lips in a smirk, amusement showing in his crystal blue eyes, at her reaction.  
  
"What's the matter, pet? Something down the wrong pipe?", he asked her. She responded by only glaring at him, not willing to let any of the others catch on, to what had really brought out her reaction. Willow just smiled, knowingly and decided to follow Spike's example, to catch some of the afternoon rays, and took of her shirt to be only clothed in her tank top and skirt.  
  
"So, Thomas Aquinas' mission was to integrate Aristotle's philosophy to common Christian philosophy. Aquinas' strong belief in God, led him to interpret Aristotle so that it wouldn't differ too much from christian belief.", Buffy said, trying to sum up what she had read.  
  
"Please! The bloke didn't believe in God that strong. He believed in philosophy. His only motive was not to be burned at the inquisition. That's why he formed this new line in philosophy, to please society, so that he could continue to read what he loved.", Spike interrupted. He was actually agreeing to what Buffy had said, but he wanted to frustrate her and see how strong opinioned she was.  
  
Although Buffy knew Thomas might have other motives, she did not care for the rude way Spike had tried to shatter her opinion. "I don't know how you guys study on your side of the pond, but on this side we stick with facts until we can form a believable argument to support our opinion!", Buffy had raised her voice and her cheeks had become slightly redder. Spike smiled in response, very pleased with his result before replying; "Don't get your knickers in a twist, luv. Was only yanking your chain to see if you'd come out and play"  
  
Buffy threw her arms in the air, sighed in frustration, before throwing her back to the lawn, staring up to the sky and mumbling; "Why me?"  
  
Study session went on without too many heated interruptions. After an hour Spike announced he had to leave for band rehearsal.  
  
"I can give you a lift. And maybe, if Oz thinks I'm a good girl for doing that, he might let me stay." Cordelia said, her eyes dreamy, at the prospect of seeing her beau a little bit sooner.  
  
"That sounds good, just need to stop by my place to pick up the gear. Allright?", Spike replied. Cordelia nodded and with that the entire group dispersed.  
  
When Spike entered the garage of the house the band rented, the band members greeted him. He had already met Devon, the lead singer and Oz, the bass player and was know introduced to the drummer, Gunn and the keyboard player and mixing board operator, Whistler.  
  
Whistler was a pretty cryptic type, sort of like Oz, the only difference Whistler wouldn't shut up. The only one who seemed to sometimes grasp, anything that came out of the tiny man with a bowler hat, was Oz who nodded in agreement at some of Whistler's comments.  
  
"Brewsky?", Whistler asked Spike, holding out a bottle of beer. Finally Whistler had formed a sentence, if he could even call it that, very well a question, that Spike understood the entire meaning of.  
  
"Thanks", Spike replied as he took the offered bottle. After some small talk, three ordered in pizzas and two six-packs of beer shared between them, Spike opened his guitar case. He revealed his black and silver fender electric guitar and awes were heard around the room.  
  
"Man, how did you get your hands on this beauty?", Gunn asked as he gently held up the guitar.  
  
"My Mum got it for me, for my fifteenth birthday. Apparently her brother was one of Grateful Dead's writers and this, this beauty was owned by Jerry Garcia", Spike replied taking his guitar back from Gunn and admiring it.  
  
The whole room was completely stunned. After about five minutes, Spike hooked the guitar to the amplifier and started on the riffs for the solo on Scar Tissue by Red Hot Chili Peppers, He was soon accompanied by the rest of the band.  
  
"That was awesome! I think it's safe to say, that you now can proclaim yourself a Dingo. Ready to do some of our stuff? Have to get you read for next Saturday's jam at The Bronze", Devon said, as they ended the song. Everybody nodded their agreement with him.  
  
*********  
  
Buffy caught a lift home with Angel. She had really wanted to get a lift from someone else, but that wasn't happening since Angel conveniently lived across the street from her. Of course, she could have insisted on walking home, but that somehow lost its attraction, when Buffy remembered how furious her father would get. She had now, accepted that yesterday's stalker feelings was nothing more than just that, feelings.  
  
Besides, this could be just the opportunity she needed, to excuse herself from their date. She sat in the car contemplating just how she was going to let him down gently.  
  
"So Buffy, is it just me or is Cordelia, really, really thickheaded", Angel brought her back from thoughts as new ones appeared. 'Okay, maybe not so gently!'  
  
"I'll have you know Cordelia is even more intelligent than most people! It's not her fault, she has no motivation for taking philosophy, other than the extra credit. And I don't think I want to go out on a date with a guy, who talks dirt about my friends!", Buffy spat angrily  
  
"Jeez Buffy! What crawled up your ass! Ease up.", Angel yelled part angry, part confused. Buffy stared at him eyes wide. 'Did he say what I just think he said?' "So I'll at least see you Friday?", Angel said as he had managed to calm himself, and was making googly eyes at her again. They had arrived in Revello drive by that time and Buffy really needed to calm herself.  
  
She got out of the car, angrily stomped up the path to the front door and slammed it once inside. 'And to think he had the nerve to call Cordy thickheaded!' Joyce came from the kitchen to see what all the racket was about.  
  
"Honey what's wrong? You weren't followed again, were you?", Joyce asked her daughter who stormed past her, into the kitchen and plopped into one of the stools at the kitchen counter.  
  
"No!", Buffy growled. Joyce caught the sneaking suspicion that boys were the reason of her daughter's apparent angered state. It always was, either that or this Drusilla who seemed to get a kick out of seeing her daughter miserable. Joyce carefully took her place at the other side of the counter, peeked into her daughter's narrow eyes and waited for Buffy to continue.  
  
"It never seizes to amaze me how incredibly annoying men are! I mean, do they have a brain region solely for the purpose of blocking out actual intelligent words, that may escape their mouth and seep into their brain! Eureka! I think I figured it out. It's not that the ego and sex part of the brains are too large to fit in their brain. That little Y added in the chromosome balance causes actual brain clogging.", Buffy ranted and Joyce waited, biting her lip so she wouldn't laugh at her daughter's logic.  
  
"Well if it isn't my daughter the genetics scientist? Falling asleep to the Discovery Channel again?", Joyce teased and couldn't suppress her smile, as she knew Buffy had a nocturnal habit of watching anything on TV when she couldn't sleep. Buffy softened as her mother teased and couldn't help but pout.  
  
"It does sort of make sense doesn't it?", Buffy asked showing the trademark Summers' pout and puppy eyes. Joyce could no longer suppress her laugh at her daughter's antics. When she calmed she remembered the earlier phone call.  
  
"Buffy, you're uncle Joe called earlier. He invited us out to L.A next week. Your dad and I are combining it with a business trip. I need to meet up with an artist, a really big artist, who's considering letting me show his work at the gallery. Dawn's coming too and I think it would be a great time for you to sort out things, with your cousin. Dawn get along fine with her. You used to be such good friends, growing up. I think you should take this time to call a truce.", Joyce pleaded with her daughter.  
  
"Please! The only reason Dawn and Faith get along is 'cause Dawn hasn't had any boyfriends Faith could steal. That, and the fact, that Faith sneaks Dawn into clubs and buy her drinks. I can't believe you actually allow them to be together, after last time when Dawn came home drunk! 'Sides classes are really important this semester and I can't miss even one", Buffy replied, once again agitated.  
  
"Breathe, honey, breathe! At least think about it. Your father and I, really don't like the idea of you spending a week on your own in this house, after yesterday."  
  
"It's no big deal. The more I think about it, I think my imagination got the better of me. I could probably stay in Willow's room, if that makes you feel any better. It's not like she'll actually use it now that Tara and her are back together.", Buffy told her mother before she headed up the stairs to her room. Buffy got halfway down the second-store hallway before Dawn intercepted her. The two of them went into Buffy's room  
  
Dawn joined Buffym sitting down on Buffy's couch and spare bed. "You and I, need to talk" Dawn told her sister, who had buried her face in her hands. Buffy raised her head to meet her sister's gaze, bidding her to continue.  
  
" I talked to Spike. He told me a few interesting things." Dawn was smiling at her sister. Buffy gave Dawn a look and a hand gesture that said 'And what?' Dawn's smile grew even bigger. She wanted her sister's curiosity and attention and had succeeded.  
  
"Before I tell you, I need you to tell me what's going on", Dawn said, trying to put on something that resembled Willow's resolved face, letting her sister know she would not spill until Buffy did.  
  
"Tell you what? What's going on with what?", Buffy asked a little annoyed. She didn't need her sister butting in, or her little games.  
  
"Okay let me see if I can sum up what I've been thinking. Friday at dinner, you and Angel making it with the sickening puppy love looks, Saturday at the mall, you looking disappointed when I told you what Spike said, Sunday morning cranky Buffy, cranky Spike, happy Angel. When Connor told me I assumed something had happened with you and Angel, only you liked Spike. But then Spike told me something that actually made sense in a way that was *not*. If you like Spike and he likes you, why on earth are you going out with Angel?", Dawn said as she gave Buffy a accusatory and disapproving look.  
  
"Hold up a sec. You said Spike likes me!" 'Care to explain why he's all with the closeness with Dru?', Buffy silently added not wanting to expose Dawn to the implied closeness. She huffed before continuing, " Dawn did he tell you this?" Dawn nodded vigorously in response, believing this information would thrill her sister.  
  
Buffy's eyes widened before she exclaimed; "I can't believe it! Are all men complete idiots? I mean did he actually believe he could two-time Dru and me? Not only that, but he's corrupted my sister into helping with his sick games", Buffy was ranting angrily and pacing her bedroom floor, arms crossed. Dawn scrunched her nose in confusion at her sister's display.  
  
"He's not serious about Drusilla. He likes you", Dawn tried to convince her sister.  
  
"Ha! And to think I would actually fall for that! He's only looking to carve one more mark in his bedpost, and guess what!? I'm not the girl supplying. Does he actually believe I'd touch him after he's been with Dru? Who knows how many STD's he's gotten by now! Yuck!", Buffy shuddered at the thought. Dawn rolled her eyes. She had obviously caught her sister at a bad time and couldn't possibly convince a stubborn and pissed Buffy. She sighed and left the room to go call Connor and ask how he was dealing with the whole 'being grounded' thing. Then complain about her own, grounded state.  
  
*********  
  
Laughter and hisses of pleasure, were muffled by heavy blankets, in a big four-post bed, in the Wyndham-Price mansion. Ten minutes later a brunette's head came up from the covers and let out a contented sigh. It was followed by Wesley's head, who had a satisfied smile.  
  
"Well, Lilah, you think you might be able to help with my little problem?", Wesley inquired, referring to their previous conversation  
  
"Yes. It will take time though. A plan, as grave as this, can't be rushed. I'll have my associate be very careful to cover his tracks. Trick has never been close to getting caught before, but just to make sure, we have to cover our tracks with him as well. If he does go down, I have to make sure he doesn't take us down with him.", Lilah Morgan explained as she lazily stretched.  
  
"Good", Wesley replied, his satisfied smile growing wider with a gleam of evil. 


	8. Close Encounters

Chapter 8: Close Encounters  
  
A/N: So sorry for the long overdue update. School, rebuilding the webpage and a writer's block has all taken it's time lately. I promise a new chapter will come really, really soon now that the webpage is complete and I passed my writer's block.  
  
The sun had started to set, and long shadows from the tall buildings on the construction site gloomed in his path. Late in the Wednesday afternoon, Xander slowly made his way out of the grounds, straightening his tie, which had been loosened hours ago. This was the fifth construction site he had inspected that day. Shuffling his feet towards his car, he felt gloomy. He wasn't unhappy, but a bit unsatisfied.  
  
Five months ago, when Xander was offered the promotion from site foreman to corporate supervisor from Mr. Williams, he had been thrilled. It meant a huge leap in his paycheck, free cell phone, and an-all-expenses-paid-for SUV. Too good to be true, he had thought, and boy, was he right.  
  
Xander had truly believed he was a nobody headed straight down the path to nowhere, and he took the offer without thinking of the consequences. Five months in the game, he had learnt that now he didn't get to be part of making anything, like he was when he actually ran the construction sites. He missed it. He wanted to contribute to make the decisions, not just simply follow them. He wanted to be part of a creative team  
  
It wasn't like his boss wasn't great and all; he just felt too intimidated to speak up and tell Mr. Williams of his ideas. While he drove to the main office to hand over his reports to Mr. Williams, he dialed Riley's number, but didn't get an answer. He was worried about his buddy. He had spoken once to Riley since Friday, and when he did, Riley had sounded depressed and sort of absent. When Anya told Xander about the whole lunch scene on campus, he concluded that Riley's mood could once again be based on Buffy's actions. Although he sympathized with Riley, he was happy that his childhood friend had managed to move on.  
  
Getting out of his car, he pondered why exactly she was going out on a date with Angel, and not Spike. Xander had seen the attraction between Buffy and Spike clearly. He liked both Angel and Spike, and they seemed cool enough, but Xander had to get to know Angel a little bit better if Angel was going to date Buffy. Xander would do serious damage to Angel if he found out she wasn't treated right.  
  
He knocked on his boss', Jason Williams, door before entering. The round and slightly bold man sat in his big leather chair, puffing angrily on a cigar, while speaking to someone on the phone. Xander flinched when Mr Williams started yelling to whoever it was on the other line.  
  
"I don't care! I want those building permits at my desk first thing tomorrow morning! And, you give my regards to the mayor and ask him when he's gonna stop letting that bastard, Wesley, make his decisions!" He hung up the phone and sighed as he tried to regain his composure.  
  
"Harris. How do the work sites look?" He asked, stomping out his cigar.  
  
Xander cleared his throat before speaking. "Most of them are going good, sir. Most of them are even going great and are ahead of schedule. There seems to be a problem on the site over at Crawford Street, though. It seems the cement mix we used on the foundation is less than standard. The foreman suggested that we start all over. Anyway, it's all here in my report," Xander said, handing over his reports.  
  
Mr. Williams shook his head and sighed. "Start over? That would seriously place the project way over budget. We can't do that."  
  
"If I may suggest, sir? If we drill steel wiring into the fundament, and just coat it with good cement, we might save a lot of money," Xander offered.  
  
"That's a really, really good idea, Harris. I'll tell the engineers to look into it," Mr. Williams said, thoughtfully. Xander got up and headed to the door before Mr. Williams stopped him. "Kid, I've been thinking. You contribute a lot around here, and I don't want competition snatching you up with their filthy claws. How would you like to become a board member? You'll get to be a part of the decision making, and you'll get a two- percent share in the company. Would you like that?"  
  
Xander smiled broadly and thanked Mr. Williams. He had to keep himself from running up to the man and hugging him for giving him this opportunity. However, this was a very masculine environment, and hugs were probably inappropriate. He then left and drove off to Riley's place.  
  
Xander rang Riley's doorbell twice before he heard someone ruffling with the lock. The door opened, and Xander was hit with an unpleasant smell, and met by a fading version of Riley.  
  
"What do you want?" Riley asked, his voice raw and croaking from lack of use, and too much drinking.  
  
Xander blinked disbelievingly. "Come on, Riley. What do I want? I haven't heard from you in days, and I'm worried about you," he said, while brushing past Riley's hulking frame. The apartment was dark and littered with garbage, empty pizza boxes, and liquor bottles. "You need to clean this place up. Come on, I'll help, and afterward, we can watch a game," Xander said, beginning to pick some of the garbage up.  
  
"Get out. Leave me alone," Riley commanded.  
  
"Snap out of it, Riley. Just because Buffy gave you the ol' dump-o-gram routine, it doesn't give you the right to give up on life. It's what cowards do, and last time I checked, you weren't one." Xander was fed up with Riley's 'poor me' act.  
  
Riley grabbed Xander by his collar and tossed him out of the apartment. "I do not need one of Princess Buffy's whipped boys meddling with my life! Stay. Out. Of. It!"  
  
Xander was struck dumbfounded, lying on the pavement. He couldn't believe Riley was acting like this. They used to be best buds.  
  
********  
  
Buffy walked over to the Giles-Calendar mansion, hoping to catch Angel to let him know she had to cancel their date. She had tried to find him on campus earlier, but couldn't. She knew it was awful to break a date two days prior, but somehow, she didn't care. Angel was so full of himself, and Buffy dreaded having to spend an entire evening listening to him talk about 'Angel this,' 'Angel that.' Besides, the last couple of days, she had realized it would probably do her good to stay off men for a while.  
  
She rang the doorbell, but didn't get an answer. She was just about to leave, when she heard loud rock music pouring from the backyard. She made her way around the house and to the back where the music came from. She felt tingly from the sight that greeted her. Well, hello salty goodness.  
  
Spike was swimming in the pool, doing broad strokes, his muscles rippling from the action. Buffy stood hidden by some rose bushes, enjoying the show. She was awarded with Spike leaving the pool, stepping up in all his glory, clad only in swim trunks. Buffy swallowed, and wanted nothing more than to let her hands run across his chiseled chest and firm looking abs. All thoughts on Spike being a pig and trying to corrupt her sister were completely forgotten.  
  
Wiping his upper torso with a towel, Spike spoke up. "See something you like, pet?" He asked, eyes locked on the ground.  
  
How did he know I was here? He couldn't possibly see me. He never even looked up! Buffy's mind raced in panic-mode. With a flushed face, she stepped out from behind the bush.  
  
"You need to work on those strokes, Spike. I was looking for Angel. He around?" Buffy asked, trying to act cool, calm, and collected.  
  
"The magnificent poof isn't in at the moment, but if there's any service I can provide, I'd be happy to oblige," Spike said suggestively, with a smirk.  
  
Arms crossed over her chest, Buffy marched over to him. "Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you about something. I do not appreciate my sister being corrupted by socializing with a guy dating a lunatic ho. Stay away from her."  
  
Spike was confused. Was Buffy referring to him dating Dru? Please, I wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole, he thought, but couldn't help but tease Buffy a bit more.  
  
"Sounds like someone's jealous of Drusilla. You offering me something better, luv?"  
  
"And now I see why you and Dru are perfect for each other. You're both as sane as in a way that's not, and stop calling me 'pet' or 'luv.' My name is Buffy. Buf-fy. Got that, or do I need to write it down for you?" Buffy spat.  
  
"'Buffy' is what everyone calls you. How about 'Precious,' 'Tiger,' or maybe 'Goldilocks?'" Spike purred, stepping closer, and taking a strand of her hair between his fingertips. So soft.  
  
"Get away from me, you big bleached. stupid guy!" She spat, and pushed him away. Spike lost his balance and grabbed for the closest thing, which just happened to be Buffy's arm. They both tumbled into the pool with yelps.  
  
Surfacing from the water, they were facing each other, only inches apart. Buffy suddenly became very aware of how close he was, and that the tiniest movement would make their lips touch. She instinctively licked her lips when she looked down at his, before looking up into his sapphire eyes and swallowing.  
  
Spike moved in to kiss her. He kissed her gently, almost tentatively, before letting his tongue slide across her bottom lip, pleading entrance. He groaned when her lips parted, and he let his tongue enter her hot, wet mouth. She tasted sweeter than he had ever imagined, a mix of strawberry, and a taste that was unique. Buffy.  
  
Buffy felt her prohibitions, to act out anything with Spike, crumble. She allowed her senses to open up and greet Spike. He smelled like a mix of tobacco, musk, and something she couldn't quite determine. He tasted surprisingly good, being a smoker and all. In fact, Buffy found the light tobacco taste to be a major turn-on.  
  
Buffy swirled her tongue around his, and their kiss became demanding. Her arms reached around his neck, and his around her waist, both pulling the other closer. As the kiss intensified, he let one of his hands reach under the wet fabric of her top and cup her breast, while the other cupped her bottom, underneath the fabric of her skirt. He let his thumb play with her hardening nipple, and Buffy was amazed with the sensations it brought on.  
  
Buffy moaned, and wrapped her legs around his hips, bringing 'parts further south' grinding together. Their mouths parted in desperate need for air. Spike looked into her lust-hooded eyes, thinking it was one of the most beautiful sights he'd seen. Come to think of it, the top five all had something to do with Buffy, lately. He was so hard, he thought he would burst any moment.  
  
Buffy felt the erection rubbing against her, and was incredibly turned on, but a small part of her brain kept screaming at her that this was wrong. Spike had Drusilla, and she had accepted a date with his stepbrother. Think about the consequences, the moral part of her said, while the one she currently listened to said, Consequences, schmonsequenses. This feels good. So good, as she started kissing him again.  
  
Spike felt dazzled by the sensations it all brought on. It felt to good to be true. Here she was, the girl he had a hard time stop thinking about, ever since he came to Sunnydale, in his arms, kissing him back. He left her mouth to trail wet kisses down her neck and up again, before sucking and nibbling at her earlobe. Buffy arched her back against the pool edge and gasped.  
  
Spike wanted more. He couldn't possibly get enough of her. He decided to make another bold move and let his hand reache between them, underwater, and he let his fingers caress her sex through her panties. He was pleased when she heard her moan and even more so when she answered by pushing herself to his hand, desperately seeking more contact while mimicking his actions, placing kisses and nibbles along his neck.  
  
They pulled apart and locked eyes. Buffy wondered, for a moment what had brought her so far, but didn't care, as she looked into Spike's dark blue orbs. It felt right, and they both wanted it.  
  
Suddenly she stiffened, and her eyes became wide when she heard voices coming from inside the house. She pulled herself away from Spike abruptly, while he stared at her in confusion. She had just scrambled out of the pool when Angel, Connor, and Dawn stepped out on the deck.  
  
"Buffy?" A chorus was heard. "What are you doing here, and why are your clothes wet?" Angel added. His brows were drawn together, partly in an amused and confused way.  
  
"Um.I-I came to see you, and then I uh.then I sorta slipped," Buffy said, gesturing to the pool. Her face was flushed red, both from arousal and embarrassment. Dawn crossed her arms and quirked her eyebrows at her sister, not believing for one second that they were getting the full story.  
  
"Well, that was clumsy of you. What did you want to see me about?" Angel asked.  
  
"Um I- Well I" Buffy stuttered, pondering what she was going to tell Angel. Yes, she wanted to break off the date with him, but still wanted to avoid the mockery of doing it in front of all these people. That and the fact she had a hard time forming words because of her kiss swollen and numb lips.  
  
All eyes were on her expectantly, Spikes face plastered with the most mischievous grin and she finally managed to put words together. "It can wait till after I get out of these wet clothes", she said as she began to leave, her head was bowed down in uncomfort. She felt accusatory looks from Spike pinning her back, as she left the backyard.  
  
She didn't even get to cross the street before Dawn caught up with her. "Right, you fell?", Dawn said in a mocking voice. She grabbed Buffy's shoulder, forcing her to turn around. "Sing me another one, dear ol' sis."  
  
"Dawn, not *now*", the blonde growled in return. She began walking off again and her sister shouted at her back; "This is *so* not fair! When are you going to stop shutting me out of your life! Every time I talk to you, you just ignore me! Well guess what?! I'm fed up!"  
  
Buffy stopped in her tracks the truth of her sister's words sinking in, but she couldn't talk to her sister about it yet. She had to sort out her feelings towards herself first. She had a guilty conscience because of the kiss. Not to Angel, but to herself for not feeling more guilty about it. She stood her ground and didn't turn to face Dawn. She shook her head and sighed before she spoke softly; "I'm sorry Dawn. I don't mean to shut you out, but I need time." 


	9. Aftermath

Chapter 9  
  
Willow sat at the Espresso Pump, Sunnydale's very own coffee house, eagerly typing up the codes for her website on her laptop. She jumped on her stool when she felt hands cover her eyes, and her vision fade.  
  
"Hello, lover," Tara's soft voice purred in her ear, and a wide smile formed on Willow's face.  
  
"Tara!" Willow squealed happily. "I thought you had Summers' Gallery duty tonight," the red-head continued, referring to Tara's part-time job at Buffy's mother's gallery.  
  
"I did, but Joyce let me off early because she wanted me to put in extra hours next week. Apparently, she's leaving for L.A to close up this huge deal with an equally huge artist," Tara explained.  
  
"Great! Does that mean there will be Willow-Tara time tonight?" Willow asked, hopefully matching it with an expectant grin, recalling what fabulous things usually happened during Willow-Tara time.  
  
Tara looked guiltily away and made a face, dreading to disappoint her girlfriend. "Um.sure, right after we've helped Buffy with her current crisis." Not hearing any loud rants, she looked up at Willow, and sighed, relieved that the redhead had settled for a pout. "She called me at the gallery, and after a couple of minutes of rambling something incomprehensible about Spike, Angel, and kissage, I told her to breathe and meet me here. If you're a good girl, I can give promises of scented candles and a scented bathtub with me and you in it."  
  
Willow cheered up noticeably and piped out, "Are you trying to seduce me, Miss McClay?" She put her arms around her love's shoulders.  
  
Just then, a blonde head popped inside the doorway of The Espresso Pump, scanning the area for her friends. Buffy saw Tara and Willow and quickly headed towards their table. She sighed loudly as she plopped down into the stool after greeting them.  
  
"So, how fare things in Dateville, Buffyland?" Willow asked.  
  
"The habitants are currently rebelling," Buffy quipped.  
  
"Care to give me version 2.0 of the conversation we had earlier on the phone? You know, the version where I actually can make out the words that come out of your mouth?" Tara asked.  
  
"Well, I went over to Angel's to cancel our date and.well.no one answered when I rang the door, and then I heard music coming out from the back. I walked around, only to be awarded with a very drool-worthy vision. Spike. In nothing but trunks, and am I allowed to say 'Wow'? He has these perfect washboard abs and." she trailed off, getting a dreamy look in her eyes, before Willow brought her back.  
  
"And I guess this little story of yours will have a point as soon as you snap out of your little hormone-fest?"  
  
"Oh.yeah. Well, we started sort of arguing about him telling Dawn he liked me when he was seeing Drusilla, and then one thing lead to another and I pushed him into the pool. That would actually be pretty funny if it weren't for the fact that he dragged me in with him." She paused as her friends began laughing.  
  
"You guys! Please! I'm trying to spill, and you turning hysteric at my expense certainly isn't helping!"  
  
Willow snorted and tried to muffle her incontrollable giggling with her hand, while Tara tried a serious face, and snorted before offering, "Sorry. We'll try to behave."  
  
Buffy glared skeptically at them, while their faces contorted rapidly, from serious to grinning, and back again. "Well.when we came up from the water.well. our-faces-were-really-really-close-and-we-sorta-kissed!" Buffy hurriedly tried to explain while she cringed, waiting for their response.  
  
"You kissed?" Willow screeched, giddily. Her action turned quite a few heads in the crowded coffee shop. Tara and Buffy glared at her, and she lowered her voice before continuing. "Wow, this is what you wanted, right? So, was he good with the smooches? What about Dru? Oh, and what about Angel?"  
  
"I haven't gotten to the 'best' part yet." Buffy used her fingers to emphasize her quotation marks. "I heard Angel coming home and practically jumped out of the pool. Then, he made fun of me because I 'fell' into the pool, and I was so embarrassed and flushed from the kiss, that I never got to cancel our date. As for Dru.I really don't know. And yes, he is a fantastic kisser. My lips are tingly just thinking about it. Kissing him.I became all wobbly and completely forgot about my date with Angel.  
  
"So now, I still have a date with Angel for Friday night, and am currently trying very hard not to fall for a certain peroxide blonde, oh-so-sexy, black clad, Brit." She finished by groaning and letting her forehead slump against the table. She started softly banging her head against it as she sung her mantra; "What do I do? What do I do?"  
  
Tara reached out for her shoulder, in an effort to stop her. When Buffy looked up at her pouting, Tara offered her a sympathetic smile. "I don't think hitting your head against a dirty table will help." Buffy raised herself, wiped her forehead, and scrunched her nose.  
  
"Why don't you try to cancel your date with Angel one more time, and if that fails, go out with him. I mean, it's just one date. It's not like a serious commitment thing-y." Willow tried to help her friend.  
  
"I guess. But that still doesn't help me in the Spike area. If word gets out that we kissed and-and other stuff, won't people think less of me? You know, when I'm really supposed to date Angel?" Buffy was biting her lip, worriedly.  
  
"Aww, Buffy. We won't think any less of you. And we won't tell. And.what other stuff?" Willow suddenly realized just what Buffy had said.  
  
Buffy smiled and got that dreamy look again, a flushed face added to it. "Well, let's just say he's very talented with his hands as well." All girls giggled, before their heads shot up to hear Harmony Kendall's whiny voice.  
  
"Well, have you asked him yet? You know, Friday is only two days away, and maybe Spike's made other plans," the blonde told her raven-haired idol.  
  
Drusilla rolled her eyes. "Harmony, look at me. Do I look like anything he could possibly refuse?" Dru gestured to her body, before placing her hands on her hips for good measure.  
  
Buffy, Willow, and Tara frowned and shared a glance. Tara was silently praying that the brunette wouldn't notice them. If she did, she would certainly come to their table and taunt them. She always did. Tara was pretty sure that if she did, Buffy wouldn't help but throw her little make- out session in Dru's face. Fortunately, Drusilla never noticed them.  
  
Xander arrived shortly after, with a sullen look on his face. "What's with the not-so-happy Xand look?" Willow asked. Taking a note that Buffy was present, Xander decided it probably was best to bring up why he was in a crappy mood at a later time, when she wasn't. It was an unspoken law in the gang not to refer to Riley in front of Buffy.  
  
"Work," he lied. He was really thrilled about work. "Anyway, I'm here to pick up that coffee blend An claims is an aphrodisiac. You girls want a lift home?"  
  
All girls nodded happily and got up, and left the Espresso Pump for Xander's car. When Buffy got out of the car at her place, Xander filled Tara and Willow in on what had happened earlier in the evening with Riley.  
  
"I feel so sorry for you, Xand. I know he's your best guy friend and all. Don't worry, I'm sure he'll come around; and if he doesn't, it's his loss." Willow tried to comfort.  
  
Xander gave her a half-smile before turning his eyes back on the road.  
  
*********  
  
Buffy shuffled her feet to the back of the house, slipping into the kitchen. She felt her body temperature rise as she saw Spike sitting at the kitchen table, talking with her mother. He looked good enough to eat, wearing a blue shirt, replacing his usual black t-shirt. Her mind brought up the memory of the kiss earlier, and she swallowed.  
  
Spike sat, wondering exactly when Joyce was going to ask him what he was doing here. She hadn't; instead, she had welcomed him, and treated him to a hot cup of chocolate with those tiny marshmallows he loved. He noticed that the reason he was here had just entered the kitchen, and he looked at her. He saw her swallow, and closed his eyes for a second, trying to calm the arousal that began at the mere thought of her.  
  
"Hi, honey. Look who stopped by," Joyce told her daughter. She noticed the looks between them and smiled, as she finally got her answer as to why Spike was here in the first place.  
  
"Hey," came Buffy's meek response. She avoided both their glances and headed over to the stove to get her own cup of hot chocolate.  
  
"Oh, look at the time. The news is on. Better go watch," Joyce said. She got up and scurried out of the kitchen, leaving the two blondes on their own.  
  
Spike thankfully watched her retreating form, before asking, "Could we talk, pet?"  
  
"Sure," Buffy said, heading for the stairs out in the hallway. She gestured for him to follow, and he did. When they reached the second floor, they noticed Connor coming out of Dawn's bedroom.  
  
"And what would mummy dearest say if she knew that your grounded arse was over here and not in your room, studying like she told you to?" Spike smirked, and quirked his scarred eyebrow at the teen. Connor shuffled his weight nervously from one foot to the other, embarrassed at getting caught. He suddenly beamed as a solution came to him.  
  
"You won't tell Mom, and I won't tell Angel." Connor smiled and tilted his head towards Buffy. Spike couldn't care less if Angel found out that he had come to see Buffy; in fact, he would get a rush from seeing Angel's sour face when he found out, but he still liked the kids, and didn't really want them to get into any trouble. They shared an understanding nod and entered separate Summers' bedrooms  
  
As Spike entered her bedroom, Buffy closed the door behind them. She couldn't help but inhale his scent as he passed her, only inches away. His unique, as well as tobacco, scent was there as earlier, but in addition, there was a faint masculine cologne. Yikes, he smells delicious.  
  
He went on, inspecting her room and the little trinkets it had. He lifted up a crystal figurine, eyeing it. He set it down and seated himself on her bed. He grabbed her stuffed pig off from the covers and eyed it skeptically, before looking up at her.  
  
"Still sleeping with your stuffed animals, are you? You are twenty-one, aren't you?"  
  
"Hey! That's Mr. Gordo! He's special," she pouted, before trying to grab her pig. He stood up and childishly held Mr Gordo out of her reach. This annoyed Buffy to a great degree, but she still wanted it back, and tried to get it the only way she knew how.by jumping for it. Spike chuckled at her efforts. Buffy felt her anger rise, and before he knew it, she punched his nose.  
  
Spike toppled over and landed, backside on her bed. "Bloody hell, woman! Bugger! You got my nose bleeding!" His hand, covering his nose, muffled his mouth and his shout in the process.  
  
"I'm so sorry!" Buffy exclaimed. She opened her nightstand, frantically searching for the tissues she usually used whenever there was a sappy movie on. She found them, and placed a few of them at Spike's nose. He scowled at her, and she offered her apology several times more.  
  
"You know, I wouldn't have if you hadn't annoyed me to death."  
  
"That's the second time you've reverted to violence today! They have groups for people like you. Anger management. Look. In. To. It." His nose had stopped bleeding as quickly as it had started, and he removed the tissue.  
  
They both suddenly became very conscious of the position she had absentmindedly placed herself in while she tended to his nose. She was currently straddling his lap. She moved to get away, only to have Spike grab her by her arms, holding her back. He gently pulled her to him. He held her emerald eyes for what seemed like forever.  
  
Buffy was almost scared by the serious look in his eyes. His darkened eyes held desire, adoration, and were almost begging. His soft lips were begging, too. Begging for her to move just an inch closer, so their lips could connect, and sparks would once again fly. So, she did.  
  
Spike closed his eyes at the sensations of her warm soft lips touching his, her increasingly warm body covering his. She had kissed him; she had made the final move. It had been her choice. He wanted nothing more than to savour the moment forever when she parted her lips and their tongues carefully tasted each other. They explored each other's mouth at a languidly slow pace, up until the moment their hands came in to play.  
  
Buffy felt him hardening through his jeans, between her legs, and was thrilled by his reaction to her kiss. She let her small hands roam across his well-sculptured chest, and felt his hands against her back, holding her tightly while moving. Frustrated by the fabric in her way, Buffy pulled her hands away, only to slip them under the hem of his shirt.  
  
Eager to help, Spike lifted himself up and was just about to take it off when the word 'no' reached her hazed mind. He looked, puzzled, at a panting Buffy. Buffy had suddenly been brought back to reality. A reality where she had a date with Angel.  
  
"I don't think that would be a good idea if we want to still have the rest of our clothes on in, like, five minutes," she tried to explain. She extracted herself from his arms and sat at the edge of her bed. She was biting her lip in insecurity, and Spike had never seen anything cuter. He moved and sat against her back, with her between his legs. Clutching her against him, he nuzzled her neck, inhaling her sweet smell, trying to come up with other words than 'Want. Take. Have.'  
  
"Who said I didn't want our clothes to come off?" He whispered huskily in her ear, before placing open-mouthed kisses along her throat. Buffy was trying hard to keep the imagery of him naked and the sensations of what he was doing to her throat away so she could stop herself from going further.  
  
"Listen, you were the one who wanted to talk. So talk." It was meant to come out firm, but sounded frail. Spike stopped his actions, but still held her tightly.  
  
"Yes, I wanted to talk. I wanted to talk about this and how I wanted more of it."  
  
"Why?" She asked. It was such a simple question, but Buffy thought he'd have a hard time answering it.  
  
Spike was puzzled by her question. "Because I want you. I have ever since I first laid my eyes on you. You're smart, beautiful, witty, and I want to get to know you better." He emphasized by placing a soft, long kiss to the most sensitive spot on her neck. Buffy clenched her teeth in an effort to suppress a moan.  
  
"Then why did you get all close with Dru?" She asked, more confidently.  
  
"I think you may have gotten the wrong impression about me and Drusilla. It was one kiss that first night at the Bronze. Fortunately, I haven't seen her outside of class ever since. I only let her kiss me because I thought Sod it, since you seemed to be pretty close to Peaches. Seeing her in classes.she showed her true self, and to tell you the truth, she annoys me. 'Sides, you're the one I really wanted."  
  
"Oh," Buffy replied meekly, while inwardly scolding herself for letting herself be led to believe differently by Dru. Spike and Buffy sat a few moments in silence, he stroking her arms. Buffy closed her eyes and sighed. She stood up, knowing she could think a lot clearer away from his comfortable, strong arms and gentle touch. "So. You like me.and I like you, whenever you're not being way too cocky. We want each other. I think that's pretty clear." She paused, waiting for a confirmation. He gave her a nod of affirmation.  
  
"And this would be all good if." she swallowed. "If I weren't going on a date with Angel on Friday." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"Cancel it," he answered, with simplicity.  
  
"Tried that, and now it's less than two days away. Not fair to cancel on this short of notice."  
  
"Bollix," Spike interrupted. "S' not too late to cancel, pet. Just give him a ring and tell him you have an engagement in need of immediate attention. We could.you know." he winked at her and grinned.  
  
"No, Spike!" She was beginning to feel a load of frustration. "It's not that simple. Even if I did cancel, which I'm not going to, this," she pointed between them and the bed, "couldn't happen. I really want to get to know you better, but I do not want to rush into things."  
  
"I'm not that impatient; something tells me waiting for you would be worth it's while, but please! Please cancel with Angel. I couldn't bear knowing that he got to spend time alone with you like that, and I didn't. Believe me, he'll spend hours rubbing it in."  
  
"I will go out on the date! I already said I would!" She looked away from him.  
  
"Fine!" Spike snapped, while standing up to leave.  
  
"Spike," she pleaded for him to stop. He didn't. Spike left the room, and Buffy tried to catch up to him until the stairs. She stood at the top of the stairwell and listened in as he thanked her mother for the hot chocolate and the sound of the front door closing. "There will only be the one date," she whispered to no one in particular, something she had wanted to tell Spike.  
  
  
  
Spike got home and saw his father in the living room, watching the news. He saw Jenny coming up from the basement with a basket of Connor's folded laundry.  
  
"Hey, Will. Just finished Connor's laundry. Want me to do yours?"  
  
"Thank you, but I can do it myself. Unlike some of the house's occupants, I know how to. Why don't I bring that up to Connor, and you can sit down and relax with Pops, over there?" He suggested, knowing very well of the fit Jenny would have when she noticed Connor wasn't in his room like he was supposed to be. He took the basket and headed up the stairs, thinking Kid, you owe me big time.  
  
He left the basket in Connor's room, and Connor chose that moment to climb through the window.  
  
"You need to be more careful, kid. Your mum was just about to come up here."  
  
"Thanks, I will. So you and Buffy, huh? Making progress?" Connor asked, and was puzzled by the sad look that crossed Spike's face.  
  
"I thought I did. But she's still going on a date with your brother," Spike replied, and shrugged his shoulders. He left for his own room, plopping down on the bed, thinking about the day's events. Lulling himself to sleep, his last thought was, That girl will drive me crazy.  
  
  
  
When Spike had climbed the stairs, Jenny had crawled into Giles' arms on the couch, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
"So, how has your day been?" She asked her husband.  
  
"The business would be looking a lot more promising if Wesley weren't spreading nails along the road. I had a meeting with Mr. Williams again. He and Mr. Summers have signed on, but Wesley has made it clear to Mr. Williams that he has no plans on making things easy for him. Wesley has apparently gotten to the mayor's office, and Williams even had trouble getting a permit," Giles answered, while watching the television.  
  
"Our lawyers can handle it, though. Right?" Jenny asked.  
  
Giles placed a kiss to her temple and looked at her with love in his eyes. "I'm sure they will. Things will be all right." Giles was still worried about what lengths Wesley would go to, but kept silent about it. 


	10. To Date, Or Not To Date

Chapter 10 To Date, Or Not To Date 

A/N: "Sure, I can do three stories at once" a little ambitious girl named Nikita, thought a while back. Boy, was she naïve.

Of course I can do 3 stories, the updates will just come a little further apart. Sorry for that you guys. Anyways thanks for the wonderful reviews and to Kella, Flames and Chex… You rock!

And don't laugh to hard at my pitiful excuse for a limerick.

An extra big thank you to JenniePennie who Beta'ed this chapter since my last beta has gone MIA

Thursday morning Cordelia Chase woke up to the most wonderful feeling. The bed shifted and the arms of her boyfriend, once again wrapped around her naked form. That wasn't the most wonderful thing about this morning, but the delicious smell of coffee, eggs and bacon were.

"Good morning, sleepyhead" Oz said to his girlfriend as she slowly fluttered her eyes open.

"Good morning" Cordelia murmured back, "Did you make me breakfast?" at his nod she squealed and threw her arms around him before placing soft kisses in the crook of his neck.

"Lectures will be a part of our schedule today won't it?" Oz asked trying to calm the sensations of what she was doing. When he felt her nod, he continued. "Because if you keep doing that, I think we might have to postpone it."

"Postpone it is then", Oz mumbled as he felt her smile against him before continuing to lick her way up to his ear. He shifted their bodies so that she was straddling his lap. He became worried as all the color left Cordelia's face. She bolted off of him and went straight to the bathroom.

He got up and followed. He knocked on the closed bathroom door and cringed inwardly as the unmistakable sound of nausea come from inside. "Baby? You all right?" he asked, as he heard the toilet flush.

"I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute." Cordelia said, wearily getting up from the tile floor. She faced the mirror with a frown. This was the second time she had been sick for no reason what so ever this week. And she still felt like she could eat a horse. She brushed her teeth before stepping out to the bedroom again.

"I'm starved!" the brunette announced perkily, before grabbing one of the plates at the nightstand. She dug into the food with eagerness, as if nothing had happened. Oz watched his girlfriend with a wary look.

"Baby you're not-"

"Pregnant! Gawd! No! I mean there's absolutely no way, that I could be… pregnant", Cordelia interrupted Oz before he got to finish.

"Actually, I was gonna go with bulimic, but now that you bring it up." Oz finished his earlier thought and looked at his lover.

"No! No way! I haven't had my period for a while, but that's nothing new. I always miss my period." Cordelia was having a hard time convincing her boyfriend, let alone herself (herself should be together, not separate). The two of them sat in silence, a million thoughts racing through both of their heads. After a few minutes had passed, Cordelia moved to get dressed.

"I'll go buy one of those test thingy's. I can tell you how it went later tonight when we meet up. Don't worry it's probably nothing", Cordelia called out from the bathroom, where she was finishing applying her make up. 

"Actually I have somewhere else to be tonight, hence the bribe with food in bed." Oz said in an even calmer way than he usually did. It was actually because of shock, not indifference like Cordelia thought.

"What 'else'?" she asked wearily.

"My mom's"

"Oh. Well call me when you find time then." Cordelia moved for the door and before Oz could snap out of the astounded state he was in, she was out the door.

*******

By Thursday afternoon doors were being slammed practically off their hinges in the Wyndham-Pryce mansion. Wesley looked up from his desk when he heard the very furious, very shrill scream of his daughter. Seconds later, Drusilla was in his study pacing angrily.

"That little bitch!" She spat angrily.

"What's happened princess?" Wesley asked calmly. He was use to his daughter's fits.

"Buffy Summers happened, daddy. That little witch is always in my way. William turned me down for *her* today. He wouldn't say it was her, but I could tell. It's in his eyes. The way he was looking at her in class. Disgusting!" She continued fuming.

Drusilla told her father about when she had approached Spike earlier in the afternoon, in the campus quad. She had asked him to come to her tomorrow evening and he politely let her down, telling her there was someone else. Later in the lecture hall, Drusilla had put two and two together and figured out by the way Buffy and Spike were stealing glances at each other that she had been out ranked by Buffy, again. By the end of her tale, Drusilla replaced her anger with, bitterness in her voice.

"Don't worry about it, dear. I'll take care of it. No one hurts my princess and gets away with it." Wesley reassured her.

When Drusilla left his study to go sulk in her own bedroom, Wesley sat tapping his fingers to the desk, contemplating just how he was going to let his plans make little Buffy Summers pay in this evil plot he was already scheming. A few minutes passed before he picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number.

"There's been a slight change of plans. I want a new target." He said into the receiver when he heard Lilah pick up on the other line. The pair exchanged a few more hushed words before hanging up. Wesley's wicked smile remained intact.

******

Friday night had arrived all to fast for Buffy. She had showered and put on a peasants top, light blue jeans and light makeup when the doorbell rang. She plastered on a smile as she opened the door and greeted Angel.

Angel looked at the beautiful girl that greeted him. He had never seen a girl look so beautiful in casual clothes. He took her arm and guided her to his car. Like a perfect gentleman he opened the door for her.

Half an hour later the pair sat seated in a booth at Sunnydale's very own gourmet restaurant, Chez Pierre. Buffy felt ridiculous. All around her women were sitting in cocktail dresses and she now knew why Angel had told her to wear something nice. He was wearing something really nice and if all her lusty thoughts recently had not been reserved for a certain peroxide blonde Brit, she would probably be drooling over the blue silk shirt, black slacks clad brunette across the table.

"I feel absolutely ridiculous," Buffy spoke her thoughts out loud.

"Why?" Angel couldn't help but chuckle at the look on Buffy's face. It was a cross between utter humiliation and eyes wide with panic.

"Look at me. Compared to you and these other women, I look like a little girl in rags." she huffed slightly and flung her arm, gesturing to the other diners.

"I think you look absolutely stunning. The thing about you Buffy is that you don't need a fancy dress and a ton of make up to look beautiful. In fact, if the ladies in here put on the most beautiful dress and best makeup in the world, they still couldn't compare to you," he said in a serious tone of voice and there was a hint of shyness Buffy picked up in his voice.

Buffy felt awkward. There was something about his choice of words that made it sound sincere and not some line he simply coughed up. She guiltily looked away when his chocolate brown eyes probed into her blue green.

"And you are a student, just like me. How can you afford to take me to a place like this?" The blonde changed the subject none to subtle.

"I'm tempted to simply say; 'I've saved up the money waiting to impress the prettiest girl I've seen', but that would be sort of lying," He smiled before growing serious. "Truth be told, money isn't a big issue for me. When my father died, he left Connor and me a very fat trust fund. I got access to it when I turned twenty-one. I wasn't lying about the prettiest girl part though."

"Oh." Buffy didn't know what to say. It was awkward enough that she was on a date with Angel when she really wanted it to be his stepbrother and Angel kept showering her with compliments. It was even more awkward when she had opted to place him in the box with the rest of the world's insensitive jocks and he became vulnerable and mentioned his father's death.

"You miss him, huh?" Buffy more stated than asked when she looked into his sad eyes.

"Yeah" Angel smiled and let out a short, soft chuckle. "It's not so bad anymore. When he was first killed, I sort of had to grow up immediately and my main concern became Mom and Connor. Seeing that Mom has found happiness with a new man actually relieves me. Weird huh? Maybe not, 'cause Giles really is a great guy. It's the stepbrother that came with the package that annoys me."

'_You just had to bring him up'_ Buffy thought and shifted uncomfortably in her seat as hot flashes of Spike's soft lips raced through her mind at the mention of him. Looking past the fact that Buffy felt really guilty about being on the date in the first place, because of what she felt about Spike, she was actually enjoying the date. They passed through dinner making easy small talk and she found out that there was more to Angel than what she had pegged him for.

Angel was being nice, not sleazy like she thought he would be and time had actually passed quickly when the time came to pay the bill and leave.

"So where to now?" Angel asked holding Buffy's jacket for her to put on.

"Um… The Bronze?" Buffy suggested.

"Sure, but why don't we stop by my place first? I kind of feel a bit overdressed for Bronzing." He said gesturing to his slacks. They drove back to Revello Drive and once inside his house, Buffy happily noted that it was empty. She wouldn't know what to do, if she ran into Spike. It was strange though. She had not seen him since he ran out of her house and she found herself missing his cocky comments and innuendo she had grown used to ever since he came to Sunnydale.

Buffy and Angel made their way upstairs to Angel's bedroom. Angel pulled out a pair of jeans of his closet and left Buffy in his room, to go change in the bathroom. Buffy went around the room looking at his stuff. There were the expected football trophies and also the maybe not so typical drawing equipment. Buffy peeked down the hall, to make sure Angel wasn't on his way back before opening one of his sketch pads.

She gasped as she came face to face with images of herself. She flipped the pages and found one close up of her smiling, one of her in deep concentration. She traced his pencil strokes with the tips of her fingers. Angel really was a magnificent drawer. She was really flattered that he had drawn her so beautifully.

Buffy felt her face redden as one of the pages she flipped held a less clothed picture of her. _'Oh my! Is that what he thinks I look like?' _Flipping further, the sketchbook had drawings of Giles and Jenny, Connor and even a few of Spike. She lingered a bit longer at one of the pictures of Spike. She flipped the last page and came face to face with eerily familiar, brown eyes.

No face. Just eyes. Buffy could see that it was a pair of girl's eyes and also got the feeling that this must have been a girl that Angel had had a crush on. She admired the picture while trying to remember where she had seen those eyes before.

Buffy quickly put the pad back where she had found it when she heard footsteps coming down the hall.

"Ready to go?" Angel asked. Buffy nodded and the two of them left for the Bronze. The Bronze was packed with both teenagers and people their own age. A band on stage was playing a cover of Incubus' Drive. Buffy loved that song. It sort of spoke to her.

_Sometimes I feel the fear ofbr_

_Uncertainty stinging clearbr_

_And I _

_Can help but ask myself_

_How much I let the fear_

_Take the wheel and steer_

_It's driven me before_

_And it's seems to have a vague_

_Haunting mass appeal_

_Lately I'm beginning to find that I_

_Should be the one behind the wheel_

_Oh yeah. That's me. Guided by my fears I really need to take control of my life and learn to not accept dates I don't really want to go on_, she thought as she searched the club for her friends.

She spotted Dawn and Connor the duo dancing at an even slower pace than the song. She smiled and nudged Angel with her elbow. They both chuckled a little bit of how caught up with each other the teen pair was. Buffy continued to search the room and could see Cordelia, Willow, Xander and Tara seated in one of the booths. 

_Whatever tomorrow brings_

_I'll be there_

_With open arms and open eyes yeah_

_Whatever tomorrow brings_

_I'll be there_

_I'll be there_

Humming to the feel-good refrain of the song, Buffy dragged Angel by the hand, over to her friends, jumping slightly, when she noticed that seated where the booth had hid him, sat Spike and Devon. Buffy immediately let go of Angel's hand when she met Spike's sad eyes.

When Spike first saw Buffy come up to the table his heart rate immediately increased. She looked beautiful as ever. His heart sank however, when he let his gaze travel down to where her hand was linked to Angel's. Spike couldn't bear to sit around and watch the two of them, so he quickly excused himself to go to the bar. Angel and Buffy greeted them all and sat down joining them.

"I take it Spike's still a little bit sore that I got the girl?" Angel grinned and Buffy cringed_' Oh look. The insensitive self-absorbed prick is back'_ Angel got looks from all around the table and quickly changed back to the more likeable Angel, Buffy had gotten to know earlier in the evening. Conversations went easy and Buffy was relieved that she had met up with her friends, taking a little bit of the tension out of her evening.

"So where's little miss blunt and mister stoic guy, tonight?" Buffy asked and couldn't help but notice how Cordelia's face fell at the mention of her boyfriend.

"Oz has been MIA the last couple of days. Some family thing and Xand's little vixen is right over there negotiating a way to get her nachos cheaper" Devon enlightened her.

"Speaking of milady. I better go save the bartender, before she curses him or something" Xander excused himself. What he really wanted, was to check on Spike. He had seen Spike's reaction to Buffy and Angel's entrance, so he wanted to make sure that Spike was all right.

At the bar he found Spike looking in his glass as if he was examining the amber liquid. Spike downed the rest of his drink before ordering up another one. He shot it down as soon as it was in his reach and ordered a third.

"Hey, Spike! Don't you think it might be smart to you know… SLOW DOWN!" Xander exclaimed and his voice increased when Spike guzzled down his third drink in the same manner as earlier.

"The way I see it, whelp, you can either join me, or you can shut your gob" Spike simply laid out Xander's options. Xander stood a couple of minutes evaluating them carefully. He wasn't much of a drinker. His father's habits had scared him off of alcohol. Thinking '_What the heck. One evening of alcoholic beverages isn't going to turn me into my father',_ he ordered up another round of scotch for himself and Spike.

"While we're at it. Think you might come up with a nickname for me with a bit more cool-ness factor than whelp?" Xander more begged than asked. All he got in response was a quirked eyebrow.

Over at the booth, Buffy tried to enjoy herself as she kept a weary eye on Spike and Xander over at the bar. She watched as the pair continued to drink and became slightly glassy  eyed and flushed faced.

Xander and Spike looked like they were getting along really well when the bell signaling last call at the bar rang. Xander tried to get off his bar stool and fell flat on his ass, causing both him and Spike to laugh hysterically.

"Hey! Lischten to this verry cool limerick Schpike taught me," Xander slurred as he made his way back to the booth with Spike trying to walk behind him.

" A horny young sailor named Clark  
picked up a slut in a park.  
She was ugly and crude   
and a horror when nude,  
but she was good for a spell in the dark." Xander recited with a slight slur while standing up straight. When he finished he toppled over laughing hysterically along with Spike. Everyone else just eyed the pair sceptically.

"'Ey, you liked that one didn'ya? Well here's another one for ya.

There once was this chit named Buffy

Who brought out from me feelings all fluffy.

A few stolen kisses were all I got

Because with me she's not.

It turned out she liked her men stuffy." Spike finished staring deep into Buffy's eyes. Xander started laughing, but abruptly stopped. 

"Hey! That wasn't funny" Xander concluded to himself. All eyes were on Buffy while she looked at a suddenly very fascinating spot on the table. Willow gave her best friend a sympathetic look, since she, Tara and Spike were the only ones who knew about Buffy's little secret.

"You guys kissed? When?" Angel voiced the question that was on every one out of the loop's mind. As on queue, Spike stumbled into a vacant seat and passed out, creating a perfect diversion for Buffy.

"Look we can talk about this later. Right now I think it's best to focus on getting our two drunks home." Buffy said in a hushed voice as she got up and gestured to Spike and Xander. She moved to lift Spike off the chair, putting one of his arms over her shoulder. "Angel, a little help here?"

Angel and Buffy said their goodbyes before supporting Spike's weight between them to Angel's car. They spotted Spike's DeSoto in the parking lot and wondered what to do.

"How about you drive my car and I'll take Spike's?" Angel asked. His voice was void of emotion and he didn't even look at Buffy.

"As I'm sure I've told you before… Buffy" she pointed to herself then to the vehicle, "Car… Very unmixy" she tried to lighten the mood.

"Right…" he trailed off, a very sullen look on his face. Buffy knew she had been caught and she dreaded the inevitable conversation she and Angel would have about the person being held up between them. She sat herself in the backseat of Angel's car trying to drag Spike inside.

She succeeded, but when she was about to open the door on the other side, to get out she yelped as Spike, put his head in her lap and held her back.

"Just… just stay there." Angel said as he got into the driver's seat. The ride back to Revello Drive was made in complete silence save for Spike murmuring Buffy's name a few times as he snuggled in her lap.


End file.
